A Flag Ceremony to Farewell Tomorrow’s Global Citizens 淡江大小事

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A Flag Ceremony to Farewell Tomorrow’s Global Citizens

Date 2011-06-21 6027 Clicks

FENG, WEN-HSING

At 2:30 pm on the 21st of June, a flag presentation ceremony was held at the Student Activity Centre, TKU Tamsui Campus. The ceremony had a dual purpose: to farewell local students who will soon be departing for a year of study abroad; and to farewell the groups of TKU students selected to represent Taiwan as international youth ambassadors. This year approximately 428 TKU students will study abroad under student exchange programs, while 24 youth ambassadors will be sent to various countries in Central and South America, where they will learn about and serve the local communities.

The ceremony was hosted by the TKU Vice President for International Affairs, Dr. Wan-chin Tai, and was attended by several foreign dignitaries, including Mme Valentine Gigaudaut from the Institut Francais de Taipei, Sergey Chudodeev from the Representative Office in Taipei for the Moscow-Taipei Economic and Cultural Coordination Commission, and Roberto Machado, the Foreign Trade Advisor from the Spanish Chamber of Commerce.

In recent years, Tamkang University has become known as a truly international university. It was the first Taiwanese institute of higher education to implement a Junior Study Abroad Program, in which 3rd year students at the TKU Lanyang Campus are required to venture abroad for a year of overseas study. To date, a total of 4523 students have done so. At the Lanyang Campus, 90% of courses are taught primarily in English. Moreover, TKU now has 110 sister universities in 28 countries worldwide. TKU has initiated dual degree programs with renowned overseas universities, such as Australia’s Curtin University, among others.

Vice President Tai explained that learning to be a global citizen is a vital lesson for today’s youth. Many overseas universities as early as several decades ago were encouraging students to undertake student exchange programs that allow students to gain international perspectives. During the ceremony, he wished students the best for their coming year of study, and expressed his hope that in their year abroad, students will write a memorable chapter in the story of their lives.

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