NTNU Led UAAT Delegation to Kyushu to Strengthen Academic Ties between Taiwan and Japan
From December 17th to 21st 2024, National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) Executive Vice President Kwun-Min Chen led a University Academic Alliance in Taiwan (UAAT) delegation comprised of representatives from National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU), National Chengchi University (NCCU), and National Chung-Hsing University (NCHU), to visit three Kyushu, Okinawa Open University Alliance (KOOU) universities in Japan, namely: Kumamoto University, Saga University, and Kagoshima University. The aim of this visit is to promote cooperation between the UAAT-KOOU through expanding bilateral international mobility, encouraging faculty and student exchange visits, and industry-academia ties, to further deepen Taiwan-Japan academic cooperation.
UAAT-KOOU Exchange History
The UAAT was established in 2023 by the Ministry of Education of Taiwan, bringing together 12 key Taiwanese universities with a view to deepening global partnerships and promoting international mobility and talent exchanges. On April 2024, the UAAT signed a Memorandum of Understanding(MOU) with KOOU, marking the start of large-scale cooperation between the academic circles of Taiwan and Japan.
In addition, the UAAT-KOOU Social Sciences and Humanities Division, led by NTNU, held a bilateral forum in November of the same year. This forum brought together selected recipients of the UAAT-KOOU Project recipients in the field of Social Science and Humanities. Researchers were invited to share the contents of their collaborations, symbolizing the beginning of a new chapter in the Taiwan-Japan collaborative program.
Two NTNU research projects from NTNU were selected for this forum: “Towards Sustainable Satoyama: Community Forestry and Village Revitalization” led by Prof. Shyue-Cherng Liaw from the Department of Geography, in collaboration with partners from National Chengchi University(NCCU) and Kyushu University. And, “Research on the Sustainable Design Application of Direct Ink Writing 3D Printing Utilizing Circular Materials and Artificial Intelligence Technology” led by NTNU Department of Design Professor Daisuke Nagatomo, in collaboration with teammates from National Cheng Kung University(NCKU) and Kyushu University.
Aside from sharing the results of the current alliance and cooperation with the three KOOU universities during this visit, the UAAT delegation also encouraged these universities to engage in multilateral exchanges and work together to apply for grants, and invited them to participate in the “Interdisciplinary Research for Sustainability: Taiwan-Japan Perspectives 2025,” happening in the upcoming September, at NTNU.
The 1st Visit: Kumamoto University
Kumamoto University, founded in 1925 and formerly known as the 'Fifth High School,' is the first university on the list. It shares a similar educational history with NTNU, and the university's renowned alumni include a Nobel Prize winner and two Japanese cabinet ministers. NTNU has a university-level MOU and student exchange agreements with Kumamoto University since August 2023, and both universities co-organized the International Student Conference on Advanced Science and Technology (ICAST2024) this year. In addition to student exchanges, NTNU President Cheng-Chih Wu led a delegation to visit Kumamoto University in January 2024, and Kumamoto University Executive Vice President Jun Otani made a return visit to NTNU in August of the same year. Kumamoto University Vice President Mitsuyo Kishida also visited NTNU in January and in November 2024, once again demonstrating the warmth of bilateral exchange.
On December 18, the UAAT delegation met with Kumamoto University EVP Prof. Jun Otani, VP for International Affairs Prof. Mitsuyo Kishida, Dean of Faculty of Law Prof. Nobuharu Obinata, and Dean of Faculty of Law Prof. Masahiko Ito, Dean of Faculty of Education Prof. Yutaka Fujita, representatives from Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, and other relevant faculty members, to discuss UAAT-KOOU plans and possible opportunities for future expansions.
Following the meeting, Kumamoto University provided the delegation with a further introduction to the institution's rich history and cultural research focus by arranging a visit to their Eisei Bunko Research Center, International Research Center for Manga Studies, and the Memorial Museum of the Fifth High School.
The 2nd Visit: Saga University
The second stop was Saga University, which was formed by the merger of Saga Medical University and now has three campuses in the city: The Honjo Campus is home to the headquarters, while the Nabeshima Campus houses the Faculty of Medicine and the Arita Campus is dedicated to the Arts.
On December 19, the delegation was welcomed by Saga University student ambassadors, who led a campus tour to showcase key landmarks such as the Museum of Fine Arts, the Dormitory for Foreign Teachers of Higher Education, and the Library. This was followed by a meeting with Vice President for International Affairs Prof. Nobuo Mishima, and four representatives from the Faculty of Arts and Regional Design: Prof. Takafumi Arima, Prof. Isao Yamazaki, Prof. Fujii Yasutaka, and Prof. Fujii Yasutaka, as well as representatives from the Center of Promotion of International Exchange: Prof. Hiroyuki Ishimatsu and Prof. Hiroki Koga, to discuss the possible direction of cooperation between the UAAT Alliance and the university.
The 3rd Visit: Kagoshima University
The final visit was to Kagoshima University on December 20th. The delegation was welcomed by Kagoshima University Vice President Chihaya Koriyama, along with representatives from the Faculty of Law, Economics, and Humanities: Dean Tetsuya Tonai and Associate Dean Kazuya Yamamoto, Faculty of Education representatives: Dean Kazuhiro Mizoguchi and Professor Shota Osada, as well as Global Initiative Center representatives: Director Takahiro Ozaki and Professor Satoshi Kato, and other faculty members, to exchange views on bilateral cooperation.
In addition to the possibility of university-level cooperation agreements, they also mentioned the possibility of bringing Kagoshima University students to Taiwan for short-term exchanges in the future.
Following the meeting, the delegation was given a tour of two key venues: the Kagoshima University Museum, which houses archaeological remains, biological specimens, and technical information on fruit tree cultivation; and the Inamori Memorial Hall, a gift from Kazuo Inamori, a university alumnus and a prominent figure in Japan's business sector who is widely regarded as the 'God of Management.'
Future Prospects for UAAT-KOOU
Following the UAAT delegation December visit to Japan, Kumamoto University Faculty of Education Dean Yutaka Fujita and Graduate School of Education Prof. Takumi Matsunaga visited NTNU on December 26, to meet with School of Teacher Education Vice President Tzu-Bin Lin and Educational Practicum and Professional Development Division Head Prof. Yu-Lim Chen, to discuss strategies for promoting bilingual education and to plan for a one-week teaching internship at the Taipei City National Elementary and Secondary Schools, for five students from Kumamoto University around the months of February or March 2025.
In addition, NTNU also received a letter from Kagoshima University Prof. Satoshi Kato about leading a group of freshmen students to visit NTNU College of Education, College of Liberal Arts, and College of National Social Sciences in February 2025 for a two-week exchange program.
As the head of the UAAT-KOOU cooperation in the field of humanities and social sciences, NTNU is pleased to see further cooperation begin through this visit. We eagerly look forward to sharing the fruitful results of these projects at the bilateral forum in September 2025. (Source: NTNU Office of International Affairs)
**More records of UAAT's visit to Kyushu by partner universities:
*Kumamoto University: (English) https://ewww.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/en/news/726/
(Japanese) https://www.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/kokusaikouryuu/whatsnew/uaat_ntnu
*Kagoshima University: (Japanese) https://www.kagoshima-u.ac.jp/topics/2024/12/post-2281.html