NTNU Sends First Bilingual Student Delegation to Kyushu University
National Taiwan National University’s designation as a Bilingual Benchmark University by Taiwan’s Ministry of Education (MOE) is accompanied by a new round of supplementary funding for bilingual education initiatives. NTNU students across multiple departments are given additional opportunities to pursue short-term international exchanges. The Department of Physics has led the charge in using this additional funding to send its first student delegation to Japan’s Kyushu University in early February 2026.
A Commitment to International Education NTNU is one of Taiwan’s four official Bilingual Benchmark Universities, which is a national initiative aimed at advancing English-medium instruction and preparing graduates for the global market. The latest round of MOE funding, coordinated by NTNU's Office of Bilingual Education, is specifically for departments with strong track records in English-Medium Instruction (EMI) course delivery. Eligible students have already accumulated experience in EMI coursework, ensuring the overseas opportunities build meaningfully on prior learning. The funding supports a range of international engagement formats: faculty-led classroom visits at overseas universities, graduate students presenting research at international conferences, and doctoral students participating in EMI teacher training programs abroad. Physics Department Leads the Way Under NTNU’s Department of Physics, its International Program is a fully English-medium undergraduate track launched in the 2025–2026 academic year to enroll domestic students. The expanded initiative enabled physics professor Dr. Hsiang-Lin Liu to guide a delegation of first-year NTNU students to Kyushu University during the winter break. The International Program's first intake has already drawn attention for its academic caliber and English proficiency, with multiple students already mapping out plans to pursue postgraduate degrees abroad. The delegation to Japan offered these students their first direct exposure to an international research environment at a critical early stage of their university careers. The visit to Kyushu University was structured around a short-term overseas practicum course and included laboratory tours, academic research seminars, and interactive sessions with Japanese students and researchers. The experience was designed not only to broaden students' global outlook, but to build practical competencies in cross-cultural communication. It also lays the groundwork for students to apply for overseas research internships, semester exchanges, and dual-degree master's programs. More Departments to Come Several other NTNU departments have received funding under the same initiative and are in active preparation for their own international visits. The Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering plans to send faculty and students to the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics at Stanford University. The Department of Mathematics is arranging an academic exchange visit to the Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences. The Department of Fine Arts has scheduled a program at the University of California, San Diego, focusing on art practice and interdisciplinary learning. Together, these visits will span four continents and cover a wide range of disciplines, reflecting NTNU's ambition to embed international exposure across all academic programs. Measurable Progress Since committing to its bilingual education framework, NTNU has seen consistent year-on-year growth in student English proficiency, EMI course enrollment, and the number of international students on campus. The new overseas exchange funding installs a new component: connecting students with applied experience in international academic environments. The physics freshmen’s trip to Kyushu University this February marked more than a one-time international experience. It is a sign of NTNU working towards a core institutional goal: building a bilingual curriculum that is genuinely connected to the wider world.