News and Events -- Tamkang University 淡江大學大小事

NEWS AND EVENTS

A Tri-School Leadership Seminar

2016/09/13

As the world becomes more like a ‘global village’ by the day, interaction and exchange between members of different communities is becoming more frequent. To solve many of the social issues we currently face, international cooperation is required. Thus, from Aug 8-28, 2016, the 2016 Asian Community Leadership Seminar was jointly held by Tamkang University, in collaboration with Ritsumeikan University, Japan, and Kyong Hee University, Korea. The group of ten TKU students who took part in the Leadership Seminar was led by the TKU Vice-President for International Affairs, Dr. Wan-chin Tai. As part of the seminar, the students visited three universities in three countries over approximately three weeks. The first leg of the trip was Ritsumeikan University, Japan, where students stayed from Aug 8-12. From Aug 15-19, they stayed at Korea's Kyong Hee University, and the Aug 21-28 phase was held at Tamkang University. A total of 26 students (including students from the other two universities) took part.
Freshmen Scale the ‘Overcoming Difficulty’ Slope

2016/09/08

September is the month in which new students prepare to begin their college career. As each university works to welcome new students with a slew of orientation-style activities, Tamkang University has carved out a unique tradition, greeting incoming students with a daunting new challenge. Climbing the ‘overcoming-difficulty’ slope is a one-of-a-kind initiation task for freshmen at TKU, who are accompanied up the steep steps by senior TKU Staff. On September 8 and 9 at 7:50 am, students met in front of the Statue of Mr. Chang Ching Sheng, Tamsui Campus, and were led up the 132-step slope carved into the hill face next to the campus. Among those who accompanied the students were the TKU President, Dr. Flora Chia-I Chang, along with senior staff and faculty from each TKU department and college. As part of the initiation event, TKU held several lectures to teach students about the Tamkang University culture, and the unique values and qualities that TKU helps to instil in its graduates.
700 Overseas Students Arrive at Tamkang

2016/09/07

Starting from 1990, TKU has admitted foreign and international students from countries across the world to study at Tamkang. At present, over 2,000 students from countries (and regions) outside Taiwan call Tamkang home. To welcome the latest group of incoming students, on Sep 7 the TKU Office of International and Cross-Strait Affairs held an Orientation for Exchange and International Students. The orientation event was attended by the President of TKU, Dr. Flora Chia-I Chang, the Vice-President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Huan-Chao Keh, the Vice-President for Administrative Affairs, Dr. Yi-jun Hu, the Vice-President for International Affairs, Dr. Wan-chin Tai, and the Dean of International Affairs, Dr. Pei Wha Chi Lee, as well as senior-level staff and faculty from every TKU college and department. A total of 700 international and exchange students took part in the event, and were accompanied by local members of various organizations, such as the Federation of Overseas Chinese Association, the Malaysian Student Association, and many others.
Tamkang Takes Double Gold at Hiwin Robot Contest

2016/09/06

20 teams took part in the recent grand final event of the 9th Hiwin Intelligent Robot Contest, held at the Nangang Exhibition Center. The TKU contingent, known as the Robot Research Team, was led by professor Ching-Chang Wong, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, along with Tsai Chi-Yi. As in previous years, the TKU Robot Research Team stole the show, claiming championship spots in two separate categories. More specifically, the TKU Made in Taiwan (MIT) Hornet group – which invented the 6DOF robotic arm – earned first place in the development category, while the Tamkang Shang Ying group received first spot in the applied category.
International Poetry Festival @ Tamsui

2016/09/02

To celebrate this year's 66th Anniversary, TKU teamed up with a handful of local organizations to host the International Poetry Forum @ Tamkang. The forum was part of the 2016 Formosa International Poetry Festival @ Tamsui, and was jointly organized by the TKU College of Liberal Arts, the TKU College of Languages and Literature, the Tamsui Cultural Foundation, and the Movimiento Poetas del Mundo (PPdM). Held on Sep 2 at the TKU Tamsui Campus, the poetry festival kicked off with an opening ceremony and the aforementioned poetry forum. This year's poetry festival takes the theme of "poetry on land and at sea". It consists of various activities to be held over the coming month, many of which will take place near the picturesque Tamsui River. Over 30 local and overseas poets, as well as more than 100 poetry aficionados attended the opening ceremony, held on the morning of Sep 2 at the TKU Chueh Sheng International Conference Hall. Opening remarks were delivered by the President of TKU, Dr. Flora Chia-I Chang, the Chairman of the Tamsui Cultural Foundation, Hsu Hui-Ming, the Chief Planner of the Poetry Festival, Dr. Lee Kuei-shien, and the Dean of the TKU College of Languages and Literature, Dr. Lucia Chen.
The TKU World Alumni 2016 Dongguan Convention

2016/08/31

On Aug 27, the TKU Alumni 2016 Convention was held in the Kande International Hotel, Dongguan, China. In attendance were the TKU President, Dr. Flora Chia-I Chang, former TKU Presidents Javier Yea-hong Chen, Louis R.Y. Chao, Yun-Shan Lin, and Horng-Jinh Chang, along with the TKU Vice-President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Huan-Chao Keh, the Vice-President for International Affairs, Dr. Wan-chin Tai, as well as several other senior TKU staff. The biennial event draws alumni from various countries, including America, China, Taiwan, Canada, Paraguay, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Hong Kong, with a total of over 500 alumni pouring into the Kande International Hotel to celebrate. The TKU World Alumni Association was set up to allow Tamkang alumni assist in the growth and development of their alma mater. The Association enables alumni from various parts of the world to keep in close contact, and work together to advance Tamkang University on the international stage. Every two years, the Association holds a convention, where people from across the globe gather to recognize and strengthen the common bond that holds them all together. This year's convention was held at Dongguan, in China's Guangdong Province, and included various fun activities, including a forum, various speeches, and an evening banquet, which featured several instrumental and dance performances.
The TKU Foreign Languages Summer Camp

2016/08/30

From Aug 23-25, a summer camp was held at TKU's Tamsui Campus. The original blueprint for the camp was devised by the Ministry of Education, which then authorized a handful of colleges around Taiwan to organize the camps. One of these colleges was TKU's College of Foreign Languages and Literature. Over 80 students from several universities in northern Taiwan took part in the camp, and were divided into four separate groups based on their language preferences - Japanese, French, German, and Spanish. The chief organizer of the camp and College Dean, Dr. Lucia Chen, commented: a foreign language is like a key; it opens doors internationally, allowing students access to various lucrative careers, in the fields of diplomacy, business, and so on. During the camp, students not only attended language classes, but also tried their hands at various fun activities. The TKU Department of Spanish, for example, organized a rumba dancing activity, and, during class, held a "Flamingo Dance Party". The Department of French, for their part, guided students on a tour of Tamsui "Old Street" and Fort San Domingo, where students practiced using French to introduce the various famous sights and scenes of Tamsui.
The 2016 TKU Overseas Internship Program

2016/08/23

Traditionally, overseas internship programs have emphasized the need for students to gain practical part-time work experience. However, the internship program established by the TKU Department of Diplomacy and International Relations is different. Held this year from July 24-Aug 22, the course placed an onus instead on helping students train and develop professional work skills. The internship program was held in Prague, Czech Republic, and entailed practical training and work experience designed to provide students with real-world opportunities to put theoretical knowledge into practice. As part of the program, students participated in discussion-style classes, attended lectures, delivered presentations, and visited various local enterprises. Cheng Chieh Yun, a student who took part in the internship program, said that she learned a lot from the event. Not only was she immersed in the beauty of Prague, with its myriad cultural and historical attractions, but she also gained practical training and experience in the area of international diplomacy.
2016-17 Orientation for New Department Chairs

2016/08/17

On Aug 10 and 11, senior level staff convened at the Lanyang Campus take part in the 2016-17 Orientation for New Department Chairs. The event, which was organized by the Office of Human Resources, featured performance reports from the Office of Academic Affairs and the Office of Human Resources, and experience-sharing speeches from long-serving deans and department chairs, including the Dean of the College of Education, Dr. Dian-Fu Chang, and the Chair of the Department of Economics, Dr. Cheng Tun-Kung. The orientation also involved keynote speeches by the Executive Director of the TKU Center for Learning and Teaching, Pan Hui-ling, who spoke on the topic of ‘Leadership Philosophy and Communication Skills’, and the Dean of the College of Languages and Literature, Dr. Lucia Chen, who talked about ‘Leadership and Management of Groups’. Through an exchange of ideas and experience-sharing speeches, the orientation event furnishes a platform for newly-appointed heads of departments to gain a handle on their new positions in as little time as possible.
The 2016 File Preservation Exhibition

2016/08/09

In a collaborative effort with the ROC Ministry of Education, National Taiwan University recently invited 56 national (public) and private universities from around Taiwan to partake in the 2016 File Preservation Exhibition. Held from Aug 5 - Oct 31 at the NTU History Museum, Taipei, the exhibition aims to promote the importance of preserving files and images as a means of celebrating and remembering the evolution of Taiwan's tertiary institutions. Tamkang University was among the private universities invited to take part in the exhibition. Moreover, the President of TKU, Dr. Chia-I Chang, was asked to deliver a speech at the opening ceremony on behalf of Taiwan's private universities. In her speech, President Chang affirmed the significance of preserving educational files and called for closer exchange and interaction between colleges in sharing successful administrative practices and maintaining university files.
Passing the Baton - a New Era of Leadership

2016/08/01

On the morning of Aug 1, Tamkang University held the 2016-17 General Handover Ceremony to farewell outgoing department chairs and section chiefs, and welcome the senior staff members who will fill their roles. A total of 29 high-level staff and faculty members will vacate their positions, many of whom will retire. TKU President, Dr. Flora Chia-I Chang, in her opening remarks at the Handover Ceremony, expressed her gratitude to the outgoing staff members for their hard work and sacrifice over the years. One of the senior staff who will soon leave Tamkang, the TKU Secretary-General, Dr. Hsu Ting-Chi, delivered a speech thanking President Chang for giving him the chance to serve as secretary-general and thus allowing him to learn a great deal about school administration, particularly quality control.
The 2016 Youth Micro Movie Camp

2016/07/28

From July 21-24, the Department of Mass Communication jointly held the 2016 Youth Micro Movie Camp. Two other organizations helped plan and coordinate the event: the Taiwan Mobile Foundation and the Taiwan Public Television Service. The Camp extended for four days and three nights. During the camp, professional directors guided students in various skills, from group collaboration and brainstorming, to writing scripts, filming techniques, editing, and then completing a riveting short film with little more than a smart phone.
An Historic Collaboration Between Tamkang and ACCA

2016/07/20

Given the importance of globalization in today's workplace, enterprises now hope to attract personnel who have the versatility and skills required to work anywhere in the world. To equip TKU graduates with such skills, the Tamkang University Department of Accounting has been working with accreditation agencies globally, and thus TKU recently became the first university in Taiwan to receive accreditation from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). To recognize this groundbreaking agreement, delegates from Tamkang University and ACCA met on the morning of July 18 at the British Council Teaching Center in Taipei to sign a memorandum of understanding, codifying the relationship between the two institutions. In attendance to witness the historic signing were various senior members from each institution, including the President of TKU, Dr. Flora Chia-I Chang, a representative from the British Office in Taipei, Mr. Chris Wood, and the Chair of the British Council, Ms. Susana Galvan.
President Chang Voted Director of CEMA

2016/07/19

On July 15, the Chinese Excellent Management Association (CEMA) held its annual membership conference and selected new members to serve as members and chairs of the board of supervisors. One of the distinguished members of CEMA is the President of Tamkang University, Dr. Flora Chia-I Chang. During the conference, members took a vote and elected President Chang to serve as the President of CEMA for the coming year. Two vice-presidents were also elected: Chen Hsing Shih, the CEO of GMTC, and Wu Tsong Bao, the Chairman of the Board of Protech Systems. Under President Chang's leadership, CEMA will strengthen its ties across various fields, increase collaboration between academia and business, and draw on her extensive resources in the domain of academia to initiate practical programs that benefit society as a whole.
The Wind Engineering Exhibition in Taipei

2016/07/13

In the movie classic Armour of God II: Operation Condor, a young Jacky Chan swirls around in an aviation wind tunnel, while at the same time bravely restraining two bad guys. Last year, Typhoon Soudelor buffeted the Taipei Dome Complex, ripped off its rooftop, and left its interior exposed. Two nearby mailboxes were struck by shop signs and bent sideways. The power of wind to affect our lives is alarming. This year, typhoon season has already begun. With a skyline marked heavily by tall buildings, Taiwan relies heavily on wind tunnel experimentation to ensure the safety of these skyscrapers. To help further promote research in this essential area, on July 16 and 17 at the Songshan Cultural Park, Taipei, a Wind Engineering Exhibition was held jointly by TKU's Wind Engineering Center, along with Cheetah Industrial Aero Dyna Ltd and the Chinese Taiwan Association for Wind Engineering. The purpose of the exhibition was to introduce and explain recent experiments made in the field, to promote sharing of information and expertise among local engineers and architects, and to increase the general public's knowledge in this technical field of expertise.
TKU Clubs Embark on Summer Volunteer Programs

2016/07/07

TKU’s ‘Three Circles and Five Disciplines’ of education is realized through a three-fold curriculum of professional courses, general courses, and extracurricular activities, the latter of which allows students to learn, provide services, and build expertise by partaking in practical activities that benefit the community, both locally and internationally. This is why Tamkang University places such a strong emphasis on extracurricular club and society activities. In the summer holidays of 2016, 17 TKU clubs and societies - a total of 260 students - took part in summer vacation social service volunteer work, including the TKU Fencing Club, which visited a local elementary school to teach children how to fence and promote the importance of exercise. The 17 TKU clubs went to various rural and remote regions of Taiwan, as well as overseas, bringing with them warmth, a dedication to service, and a passion for learning. Chun-Hung Lin, the TKU Dean of Academic Affairs, noted that the number of TKU clubs participating in the summer volunteer work grows each year, which adds to the vitality of Tamkang’s extracurricular curriculum. “I’m so touched by their dedication and commitment!” he stated.
Modern Study Method Renovation in TKU Library

2016/06/23

The modern generation of students have an increasing the need for diversified study and research methods. Their time spent in the library to gather data has been fundamentally changed by increasingly updating technology and innovative concepts. For this reason, in recent years universities around the world have begun designing areas called information commons, which combine the function of research and socializing for purposes of academic discussion. Even though the new area includes spaces for independent study, it also allows for cooperative interaction and professional resources and guidance. The Chueh-sheng Memorial Library will be opening an area on the third floor that will allow students to partake in the information commons experience consisting of study, discussion, research and resting areas for students. Director of the Chueh-sheng Memorial Library, Sheue-fang Song, expressed, “I have always attempted to add to what the previous 2 administrators began within the last 20 years. This has been the inspiration for planning and design for the library from 2014-2016. The first floor has been developed into a 24 hour study area with themes of cultural learning, the second floor utilizes the RFID card catalogue that emphasizes technological applications in fashion of a smart room. The third floor is the Information Commons area combined with three other sections: Student Success, Learning Commons and Research Commons.” Organizer of the third floor renovations is director of the Reference and Information Services Section, Su-jung Chang, who pointed out, “The third floor originally consisted of classical literature and Western literature references. Now it’s been changed into a diversified learning area with technological facilities that provides modern methods of study.”
Flag Ceremony for Students Going Abroad for Study

2016/06/21

Universities all over the world are putting emphasis on their strategy of international development. Students being sent overseas for study is now quite common for every type of academic institution. This year America has sent more than 200,000 students abroad for study with hopes of creating personnel that have a greater understanding of life in every country. Tamkang University is no exception when it comes to international development. It began sending junior-year students overseas starting from 23 years ago, totalling to 6,432 students that have gained international skills for the career world. For the 2015-16 academic year, Tamkang University will be sending 520 students to 82 academic institutions of 17 different countries. On June 21 a flag ceremony was held as students of this year’s international exchange programs prepare to travel overseas. Addresses and best wishes were given by President Flora Chia-I Chang, Yuri Yao-tsung Chih of the Ministry of Education, Liang-yu Wang of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Diplomatic Consultant of the American Institute in Taiwan, Hiram Rios-Hermandez and Deputy Director of the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei, Charmaine Stanley. President Chang expressed, “This university was founded with the objectives of realizing an internationally-oriented, information-oriented and future-oriented education system. In 1993 the Junior Year Study Abroad Program was established to meet with the objectives of this institution.” She expressed that students that study overseas create new pathways, and obtain cross-cultural knowledge and skills of adaptability that make them very competitive in their future careers.
Farewell to 14 Great Members of TKU

2016/06/17

On Jun 14 the Office of Human Resources held the “2015-16 Second Semester Retiree Tea Party” in the Chueh-sheng International Conference Hall. This event marked the retirement of 14 university members: Secretary Ting-chi Hsu, Professor of the Department of Chinese, Ching-huang Chen, Professor of the Department of Mathematics, Bit-shun Tam, Professor of the Department of Chemistry, Huey-chuen Kao, Professor of the Department of Civil Engineering, Chii-meng Cheng, Professor of the Department of Aerospace Engineering, Ching-shung Chen, Professor of the Department of Industrial Economics, Ming-wen Hu, Professor of the Department of Accounting, Cheng-li Huang, Professor of the Department of Management Sciences, Horng-jinh Chang, Professor of the Department of Russian, Alexander Pisarev, Professor of the Graduate Institute of Strategic Studies, Chun-shan Chao, Professor of the Graduate Institute of Curriculum and Instruction, Chia-cheng Yu, Security of the Division of Safety, Wen-li Deng and Secretary of the Office of International and Cross Strait Affairs, Shu-min Kuo. President Flora Chia-I Chang presented the retirees generous souvenirs as she gave an address. She expressed, “Ten years ago it was usually one or two elderly members of our university retiring. This year we have so many important coworkers bidding farewell. You will all be dearly missed and I thank you so much for your great contribution. Congratulations and I wish you best on this next season of your life.”
TKU and TECO Academic-Industry Agreement

2016/06/14

In order to give students of Tamkang University a running start into the career world and an edge over the competition at their future careers, TKU and TECO have spent a long time creating an academic-industry plan of cooperation. A ceremony was held on Jun. 14. As President Flora Chia-I Chang and President of TECO, Theodore M.H. Huang, observed the official initiation of a diverse interdepartmental academic-industry program. The plan includes quick study courses and development of international and management skills. Students will be able to walk out of the doors of graduation already prepared and set to go. Promoter of this academic-industry program and Director of the Office of Research and Development, Bo-chang Wang, expressed, “The content of this agreement states that in the future TECO will work with different departments to help students obtain critical skills. In terms of human resources, the agreement includes the College of Global Development, Foreign Languages and Literature, Business Management and Engineering. Internship programs are in place that will allow participants to be involved in a holistic system of learning that emphasizes international, technological and future-oriented methods of development.