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Kagoshima University Visits NTNU

On February 24, 2025, Kagoshima University (KU) Global Initiative Center Specially Appointed Lecturer, Professor Satoshi Kato visited National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU). Accompanying him were ten KU students from different year levels and educational backgrounds, including law, economics, nursing, math, dentistry, engineering, fisheries science, and agriculture. The delegation followed a comprehensive itinerary, visiting places and universities all across Taiwan.

On December 2024, a University Academic Alliance in Taiwan (UAAT) delegation led by NTNU Executive Vice President Prof. Kwun-Min Chen, visited several Japanese universities to promote Taiwan-Japan university collaboration. Among the Japanese universities visited was Kagoshima University, where Professor Kato first shared the study tour plan with NTNU professors and colleagues.

During their visit to NTNU on February 24th, the KU delegation was toured around campus by the NTNU Student Ambassadors. As most of the students are coming to Taiwan for the first time, and since the students are visiting NTNU for the first time, the NTNU Student Ambassadors introduced some of the landmarks around NTNU Main Campus I and II, as well as shared some interesting trivia on the architecture surrounding the university.

The KU delegation visited three colleges during this visit, namely College of Education, College of International Studies and Social Sciences, and College of Liberal Arts. At the College of Education, they were welcomed by Dean Hsiu-Lan Tien and students from the NTNU Transdisciplinary Program in College of Education--a program that was set to be an all English-taught program since last year, 2024. During this session, all KU and NTNU participating students were asked to introduce themselves, their majors, and their hobbies. Students were also given time to interact and exchange gifts and socials.

During their visit to the College of International Studies and Social Sciences, the KU delegation was welcomed by Dean Chih-Chien Steven Lai, Associate Dean Jia-Fei Hong, and Associate Professor Yi-Ting Zheng, together with the students from the NTNU Program of Global Studies (PGS). PGS is a relatively new all-English taught program, pioneered in the year 2023. This program cultivates students with cross-disciplinary expertise in humanities and society, and prepares students to understand Taiwanese, Asian, and Global society. During the visit, the multi-cultural group of PGS students interacted with the KU students in exchanged conversations and socials.

Lastly, the KU delegation visited the College of Liberal Arts, where they were welcomed by Associate Dean Joan Chiung-huei Chang, together with several Taiwanese and Japanese students from the College of Liberal Arts. The College of Liberal Arts representatives also invited a PhD student to introduce NTNU to the KU delegation, which gave the KU delegation an NTNU student’s perspective about the university. After the introduction, all participating students were provided an iPad to use in playing an interaction game.

Overall, conversations buzzed throughout all these activities, and at the end of every session, KU students were able to meet and make new NTNU friends. The KU visit program officially ended with a short speech from Vice President Yi-De Liu and Vice President Ying-Shao Hsu.

After their visit to NTNU, the KU delegation will continue on with their study tour itinerary by visiting well-known places in Taipei, such as: the Office of the President, National Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall (Liberty Square), and Jiufen Old Street, before travelling to the Kaohsiung, Tainan, Taichung, and officially concluding at Taoyuan for some final activities.

This trip provided a holistic itinerary that introduces the entirety of Taiwan to the group of young Japanese students, as well as a promising start to future exchanges between National Taiwan Normal University and Kagoshima University.