Spotlight
KKU, Sister School from Thailand, on a Study Tour at NCYU
Khon Kaen University (KKU), one of National Chiayi University's sister schools in Thailand, sent six students from the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, to Taiwan to experience signature courses and cutting-edge research at NCYU from April 15th to 28th. The Office of International Affairs and College of Life Sciences organized a two-week professional internship in life sciences. A one-day tour of Chiayi was also arranged where they visited the Chiayi Municipal Museum and surrounding scenic spots for an in-depth cultural exploration of Chiayi. Coordinated by the Division of Extracurricular Activity, Office of Student Affairs, the participants interacted with members of NCYU’s outstanding student clubs to experience the rich and diverse campus life at NCYU. Located in northeastern Thailand, KKU is one of the leading public universities in the region. With more than 36,000 teachers and students, the university ranks among the top universities in the country in terms of research and education. NCYU and KKU signed a cooperation memorandum to become sister universities in 2008. In 2019, the NCYU’s College of Agriculture and College of Life Sciences further strengthened exchanges with KKU and signed a cooperation memorandum with KKU’s Faculty of Science. Bilateral academic exchanges and student exchanges resumed after the pandemic. This year (2024), invited by teachers of NCYU’s College of Life Sciences, KKU sent outstanding students on a study tour to explore the signature courses and research at NCYU. Arriving on April 15th, KKU students participated in the “Training Program for Interdisciplinary Talents of Precision Health” held at the College of Life Sciences beginning from April 16th. They participated in a rich spectrum of experiment courses taught by professional teachers from various fields in the College of Life Sciences, ranging from plant pathology and microbiology research, drug, microalgae cultivation and bivalve dissection, animal dissection and parasitic observation, food production and testing, cancer cell culture, animal nerve localization, to biological materials. On April 20th, accompanied by NCYU's Thai students and College of Life Sciences students, they visited Chiayi Chenghuang Temple, Chiayi Municipal Museum, Hinoki Village, PineApple Hill and other attractions to learn more about Chiayi's local culture and industrial characteristics. On the 22nd, they had a social meeting with the Cloud Mountaineering Club and Chinese Music Club, where they enthusiastically discussed the languages, cultures, geographies, and foods of Taiwan and Thailand. NCYU students also introduced in English the history of the student clubs, beauty of Taiwan’s mountains, and tips for playing Chinese music. They also exchanged ideas on the school songs in a lively atmosphere. KKU student Theerada Thongmee said that it was a fruitful trip where they were able to try many new things, which made it even more worthwhile. Also a student from KKU, Thanaporn Kongsomwang shared feedbacks from other team members, saying that everyone was excited about this exchange trip. They would like to thank NCYU’s faculty and students for their warm hospitality and dedication in planning the program, which allowed them to explore the cultural differences between Taiwan and Thailand. They were particularly impressed by NCYU’s diverse eco-campus and soy sauce ice cream. Photo 1: They participated in animal dissection and parasite observation. Photo 2: They visited the Chiayi Chenghuang Temple, a national historic site, as part of their cultural visit. Photo 3: Faculty and students from the College of Life Sciences warmly welcomed visiting students from KKU. Photo 4: The Cloud Mountaineering Club and KKU’s delegation shared ideas on the beauty of Taiwan’s mountains and mountaineering tips. Photo 5: They visited the Chiayi Municipal Museum to learn more about the local history and culture of Chiayi.
2024.05.06
NCYU Strength and Conditioning Training Room Opens: Gold Medalist Super Grandma Q Demonstrates Deadlifts
Funded by the Sports Administration, Ministry of Education (MOE) in 2022 and 2023, strength and conditioning training rooms were renovated and constructed on the Lantan and Minghsiung campuses, National Chiayi University. On April 16th, the opening ceremony was held at the Gymnasium on the Lantan campus. 並Now 63 years old, Li Caiwei, also known as “Super Grandma Q,” is a lecturer from the Department of Chinese Literature, NCYU. She won four gold medals at the 2023 Asian Classic Powerlifting Championship and broke the Asian record in the deadlift category. She demonstrated deadlifts for the participating teachers and students at the opening ceremony. More than a hundred people attended the event. In his remarks, NCYU President Han Chien Lin expressed gratitude to MOE’s Sports Administration for providing funds of more than NT$5. 6 million. In addition to the funds, NCYU raised approximately NT$150,000 to renovate and build strength and conditioning training rooms on the Lantan and Minghsiung campuses. Physical education is one of NCYU’s key projects. NCYU is dedicated to promoting sports, and has through merit-based recruitment trained athletes in baseball, basketball, volleyball, badminton, track and field, swimming, boxing, wrestling, among others. Despite the commitment, it has faced challenges such as outdated weight-training equipment on different campuses, which led to ineffectiveness in physical training. Thanks to funding from the Sports Administration, the newly renovated and constructed fitness training equipment on the Lantan and Minghsiung campuses will help enhance the athletes' tension training and the overall health and fitness among the students and faculty. Yu-Cheng Chung, Chairman of the Physical Education Office, indicated that the NCYU Strength and Conditioning Training Room has incorporated the emerging multi-joint weight-training facilities since the planning stage. It can stimulate multiple muscle groups simultaneously, which is similar to the everyday movements we use in real-life and sports routines, thus enhancing muscle cooperation. After meticulous evaluation, an eight-station continuous squat rack and compound squat rack were planned as key to multi-joint training. Together with dumbbells and kettlebells, they allow people of different ages to enjoy the fun of multi-joint weight-training. The weight-training equipment purchased for both the Lantan and Minghsiung campuses can be used paired with comprehensive weight-training plans, proper usage methods and weight-training assessments. This not only can effectively improve the strength, endurance, speed, and flexibility of athletes and the general public, but lead to significant growth and progress in the athletes’ performance. After the opening ceremony, Super Grandma Q – Li Caiwei demonstrated deadlifts. Lecturer Li said that seeing these novel and diverse weight-training facilities made one feel like they are in a top-notch fitness center. It’s never too late to exercise and keep fit. Strength training helps improve both mental and physical health, making life more fulfilling and energetic. Lecturer Li encouraged the elderly to find suitable exercise routines and stick to them consistently. While the elderly, who generally suffer from insufficient muscle strength, should consider weight-training, it is prerequisite to have a professional coach nearby to guide them in correctly applying force. To give participants an overall understanding of the equipment in the training room, the Physical Education Office also invited Jiang Sen-Shen, a strength and fitness coach from the NCYU baseball team, to the event. With a master's degree in strength and conditioning from Loughborough University, UK, Jiang is a NSCA-CSCS certified strength and fitness specialist, and a NASM-CES certified corrective exercise specialist. On site, he provided guidance to guests and teachers to practice simple weight training movements, and try various weight-training equipment. Through professional guidance, it is hoped that fitness training can become part of our daily life. Photo 1: Super Grandma Q – Li Caiwei, a 63-year-old lecturer from the Department of Chinese Literature, demonstrates deadlifts. Photo 2: opening ceremony of the Strength and Conditioning Training Room. Photo 3: President Han Chien Lin did pectoralis major stretching with the compound squat rack. Photo 4: Jiang Sen-Shen (right), strength and fitness coach of the NCYU baseball team, explained how to train explosive strength with weighted sleds. Photo 5: Students from the NCYU baseball team demonstrated squat training. Photo 6: A group photo of participants at the opening ceremony of the Strength and Conditioning Training Room.
2024.05.06
University of Idaho’s Faculty and Students Visit NCYU Colleges of Teachers, Life Sciences, and Agriculture for Substantive Collaboration
From March 12th to 15th, a delegation of six students and faculty members led by Prof. Robert J. Bob Haggerty from the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Idaho, visited NCYU. Arranged by NCYU's Office of International Affairs, they toured the Department of Horticultural Science, Department of Food Science, Department of Animal Science, Department of Early Childhood Education, World Vegetable Center in Tainan, CHIMEI Happiness Factory, and Chiayi Agricultural Experiment Branch, Taiwan Agricultural Research institute, Ministry of Agriculture, among others. On March 15th, the delegation engaged in lively group discussions, and shared insights into academic and practical development in a general education course of NCYU. Founded in 1889, the University of Idaho is the oldest comprehensive public university in Idaho, United States. It consists of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences, College of Education, Health and Human Sciences, College of Engineering, College of Business and Economics, College of Science, College of Art and Architecture, College of Natural Resources, and College of Law. NCYU and the University of Idaho have become sister universities following a memorandum of cooperation signed between both universities in 2003. The University of Idaho, which had sent delegations annually for exchanges before the pandemic, has fostered close relationships with various departments and teacher-student research teams at NCYU. There were not only frequent mutual visits by faculty and students, but also short-term internship programs. Exchanges between both sides had been halted due to the pandemic since 2019, and has not resumed until now (2024). The delegation this time comprised members from the College of Agriculture and College of Life Sciences, specializing in fields such as land resources, crop management, food and nutrition. They visited sites where teaching and practice in orchid breeding and environmental control, food processing and sampling, ranch management, early childhood education and nutrition took place. They actively asked questions and interacted with with faculty and students from various departments. During the visit, the delegation also met with Vice President Chun-Hsien Chang and heads and researchers of the relevant departments to discuss cooperation opportunities. According to Prof. Robert J. Bob Haggerty, the University of Idaho shares similarities with NCYU in terms of student scale and professional agricultural training, and close ties have been established through mutual visits over the years. He hoped there will be opportunities to promote substantive cooperation projects and scholar exchanges in the future. Photo 1: The delegation visited the orchid breeding farm at the Horticultural Technology Center, NCYU. Photo 2: They toured NCYU’s Food Processing Pilot Plant, where Hsu Cheng-Kuang (1st from right), Chairman of the Department of Food Science, introduced specialty products. Photo 3: The delegation participated in a course at the Department of Early Childhood Education. Photo 4: A group photo of the delegation visiting the Department of Animal Science. Photo 5: The delegation exchanged ideas with the Coffee Club. Photo 6: The delegation interacted with the students in “Globalization and Multiculturalism,” one of the general education courses offered at NCYU. Photo 7: A group photo taken during the visit at the Department of Early Childhood Education. Photo 8: The delegation visited the Chiayi Agricultural Experiment Branch, Taiwan Agricultural Research institute, Ministry of Agriculture.
2024.04.01
NCYU’s Spring School, Joined by 22 Japanese Sister School Students, Concluded Successfully
National Chiayi University organized a 12-day spring school ending successfully on March 7th for sister school students in Japan to experience Chiayi’s local culture. A graduation ceremony was held by NCYU for the 22 participants from five Japanese universities who participated in the entire program, to award them with graduation certificates. It was the first time for all the participating students to visit Taiwan. Through the comprehensive program, they learned Mandarin and Taiwanese culture, and gained valuable insights into sustainable development. During the graduation ceremony, they happily shared their experience and expressed their hope for continued exchanges with Taiwan in the future. On behalf of NCYU, Lan-Szu Chou, Dean of International Affairs, presented the graduation certificates to the participants. The spring program this year was attended by 22 students from five universities: Kagawa University, Setsunan University, University of Hyogo, University of Miyazaki, and Kumamoto University. They engaged in a variety of courses designed by the Office of International Affairs, including "Watching Taiwanese Baseball Film KANO," "Exploring NCYU Campus," "Promoting Campus Sustainability," "Learning Mandarin," "Taiwanese Etiquette and Taboos," "Seal Carving Skill and Practice," "Making Taiwanese Delicacy: Pineapple Cakes," "Introduction to Taiwan's Indigenous Tribes and Cultures," "Taiwan's Wildlife Ecology," and "Taiwan-Japan Song Contest." They also visited the Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum, Haomei Village in Budai Township, Poftongaveoveo Art Village, Prison Museum, Wenhua Road Night Market, etc., which provided multifaceted insights into NCYU and local culture. During the graduation ceremony, Riori Kiyosaki from Kumamoto University shared her delightful experience of digging for clams in Taiwan for the first time. Being able to use her newly learned Mandarin to go shopping gave her a sense of accomplishment. Rina Hirashima, a second-year student at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Miyazaki, said that she was enormously inspired by the SDGs course and the sustainable facilities on NCYU’s campus. It was the first time she saw sustainable and circular facilities on campus, which further sparked her interest in studying water and land resources. She hopes to have the opportunity to take relevant courses again in the future. Hiroki Shinohara, who studies at Setsunan University, was also deeply impressed by NCYU’s efforts in pursuing a green and sustainable campus. She hopes to have the chance to visit NCYU again and even study at the education-related graduate program here. A student at Kagawa University, Shinomiya Kanako had the opportunity to compare the cultural differences between Taiwan and Japan from what she observed during the spring program. Through this experience, she also reflected on the impact of Japanese colonization on the Taiwanese society, and tried to answer her own questions about Japan’s colonial rule of Taiwan. She hopes to have the opportunity to delve deeper into the history of Taiwan and Japan in the future. International Office Director Lrong Lim and Prof. Takamizu from Kagawa University in Japan participated actively in the 12-day spring program. They place great importance on international exchanges with NCYU, and will encourage more students from Japanese sister schools to join the programs, thus deepening the friendly ties between Taiwan and Japan. Photo 1: The students from the five universities in Japan experienced clam digging in the coastal area of Budai. Photo 2: They joined a bird-watching course on the Lantan campus. Photo 3: The students visited the Poftongaveoveo Art Village and experienced mochi making. Photo 4: The students visited the Food Processing Pilot Plant, affiliated to the Department of Food Science, and tried their hands on making pineapple cakes. Photo 5: Chen Mao Jen, Dean of the College of Humanities and Arts, introduced seal carving and guided the students in making seal carving works. Photo 6: The students visited the Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum to admire the special exhibition of cultural relics. Photo 7: The students visited the Poftongaveoveo Art Village, where they listened to traditional songs and dances performed by the Tsou Tribe. Photo 8: The spring school concluded with a graduation ceremony on March 7th.
2024.04.01
NCYU Develops Three Alishan Forest Perfumes and Promotes Green Industries with Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency
Dr. Han Chien Lin, Distinguished Professor and other faculty members from the Department of Wood Based Materials and Design, National Chiayi University, implemented the project, “Assisting Chiayi County Forestry Cooperative in Developing Essential Oil Industry,” commissioned by the Chiayi Branch, Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, Ministry of Agriculture in 2023. Using essential oils extracted from Taiwanese incense-cedar, as well as herbs, flowers and fruits commonly found in Alishan, they developed three forest perfumes respectively with woody, herbal, and floral/fruity notes. On Feb. 2nd, the “perfume forest ecological bottles” were unveiled at the launch event of the forest perfume products at Chukou Nature Center. The aim was to enhance the atmosphere and quality of life through perfume. According to Hwa-Ching Lin, Director of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, they have been actively enhancing the sustainable utilization value of Taiwan's forests in recent years. In terms of non-wood forest products, essential oils extracted from forest plants in Taiwan are one of their focuses. They are also the most popular souvenirs among forest tourists. As Taiwan is rich in natural resources, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency is currently dedicated to sustainable forestry by promoting forestry development and communicating with consumers in the market. Chang Tai, Director of the Chiayi Branch, indicated that they commissioned NCYU to offer guidance to the Alishan Forestry Cooperative in Fanlu Township, Chiayi County. After taking stock of local plant resources, they analyzed the utilization value of the entire Taiwanese incense-cedar. Its timber is excellent for furniture and can be used to produce high-quality incense sticks. Moreover, specialty essential oils can be extracted from its wood, branches and leaves. The scent of the essential oil is warm, sweet, thick, and long-lasting, providing a sense of calm and stability. Combined with herbal, floral and fruity scents commonly found in the forest, three perfumes – woody, herbal, and floral/fruity – were developed exclusively for the cooperative's Tufei Mountain series, which are an excellent choice for gifts and personal use. NCYU President Han Chien Lin said that the utilization of forest resources is closely linked to the income of forest farmers. In addition to managing forest lands, providing relevant guidance to forest farmers in commercializing forest resources is key to further boosting their output value and utilization rate. Besides timber production, tree branches and leaves from thinning and pruning can be used to extract essential oils for producing non-wood forest products. The aroma of the forest essential oils helps ease the strains and stresses of modern life, and forest essential oil products have become increasingly popular in recent years. The NCYU team assisted forest farmers of the cooperative in using forest residues to produce essential oils and develop specialty essential oil perfumes. By creating unique local products, it helps reduce the waste of forest resources, increase income for forest farmers, and bolster the development of the local essential oil industry. Representatives from the cosmetics industry, including MUJI, Lavender Cottage, and Tse-Xin Foundation, were invited to the launch event. Through the one-of-a-kind, fascinating medium of perfume, they hoped to arouse our interest in essential oil perfumes. The three eye-catching botanical installations showcased at the event will be relocated to the Alishan Botanical Garden for one month, allowing visitors to experience the forest fragrance during the Lunar New Year holidays. Photo 1: As part of the project commissioned by the Chiayi Branch, Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, Ministry of Agriculture, NCYU developed the “Forest Parfum – Tufei Mountain Series” based on Taiwanese incense-cedar, an afforestation tree species. Photo 2: NCYU President Han Chien Lin delivered his remarks. Photo 3: Hwa-Ching Lin, Director of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, gave remarks. Photo 4: The “Forest Parfum – Tufei Mountain Series” launch event took place at the Chukou Nature Center on Feb. 2nd. Photo 5: The “Forest Parfum” series with Taiwanese incense-cedar extracts (Left: herbal; middle: floral/fruity, right: woody)
2024.02.29
NCYU Department of Landscape Architecture Students Reside in Haomei Village for Sustainable Community Transformation
Prof. Chiang Yen-Cheng and Assistant Prof. Ceng Shuo-Wen of the Department of Landscape Architecture, National Chiayi University, developed a micro-credit course focusing on environmental sustainability, as part of the Plan A under the Higher Education SPROUT Project. From Jan. 22nd to 26th, they led 11 sophomore students of the department to the Haomei community in Budai Township for a five-day artistic residency, during which they successfully incorporated the lifestyle of the fishing village into their artwork. In-depth interactions with local residents provided them with insights into the fishing village's culture and industry, marine waste recycling, and environmental sustainability. They used waste materials from abandoned oyster beds for artistic creation, during which they also cleaned up the beach. Their artistic creation not only responds to the SDGs, but strengthens the connection between the students and the rural (fishing) village. It also helps enhance the students' skills of communicating with local residents. This on-site experience is also expected to equip the NCYU students with the ability to discover and explore issues in rural (fishing) villages. Prof. Chiang Yen-Cheng said that the residency boasted a focus on connecting with the local community by bringing students closer to the farming (fishing) villages of Chiayi. Through phased rolling discussions and field surveys with environmental sustainability in mind, NCYU's faculty and students utilized their expertise in design and spatial planning to assist in constructing local industrial landscapes, and promote the development of local culture and art. By reusing marine waste, they created beautiful landscapes, which helped enhance the students' understanding of the use of seashore plants and overall practical knowledge. This creative endeavor was not only an artistic activity, but an expression of love and care for the Haomei community. It is hoped that these artworks, while beautifying the community, would serve as bridges connecting academia, art, and the community. Through such synergy, they hoped to help enhance the community's development, and thus the residents' quality of life. Assistant Prof. Ceng Shuo-Wen expressed gratitude to the Haomei community for their warm reception, and to every student and resident who had participated in the artistic residency. It was an unforgettable experience and the result of collaborative efforts. They looked forward to working with the Haomei community to bolster the local sustainable development and prosperity of culture and art. Photo 1: Using waste bamboo from the beach, the faculty and students of the Department of Landscape Architecture, NCYU, created artworks representing waves on the seashore. Photo 2: Students from the NCYU's Department of Landscape Architecture planted plants to beautify the environment. Photo 3: They conducted beach cleanups and collected waste bamboo from abandoned oyster beds, which was later cut for reuse. Photo 4: Both the faculty and students from the NCYU's Department of Landscape Architecture resided in the Haomei community to green the landscape. Photo 5: Students from the Department of Landscape Architecture, NCYU, discussed designs and evaluated plans at the Haomei community center.
2024.02.29
