The Letter to Students (From Office of International Affairs)

It is the overall goal of this University to be recognized as one of the top Universities in the World. Since establishing the Office of International Affairs in 2007, we’ve been steadily working towards this goal by planning, coordinating, and executing learning and research opportunities for staff, faculty, and students. We have assisted many departments in sponsoring international activities and partnerships in an effort to become globally-known and raise our competitiveness. We also serve as the hub of information and resources to foreign students and scholars. In relation to student affairs, not only are we recruiting more foreign students but also encouraging all of our students to participate in exchange programs, short term research projects, international curriculums, and dual University degree plans. We hope that these interactions provide local students with more of an international perspective.

The University has recently expanded its efforts in recruiting international students. There are currently 408 students from 49 different countries pursuing degrees. One of the purposes of our office is to serve as a vital platform connecting the NCKU administration with international students. Please bear with us since we are relatively new and still in the learning stages. We have held many cross-cultural activities in the past year such as the International Food Festival, Buddy-Buddy Program, and International Hour. We will continually be hosting similar events in the future to promote student/faculty interaction with the hope that our University becomes like an international village surrounded by a harmonious, peaceful atmosphere.

The number of exchange program students and students learning Mandarin at school each semester is rising steadily as well. We believe that there are many valuable lessons that can be learned from exchange students, whether they are from China or elsewhere. We hope that NCKU students may gain even more through these academic and day-to-day interactions. Likewise, we’d like to apologize for any clashes that may have occurred between international and local students; we will try to minimize these conflicts by communicating with these students promptly to reach a mutual understanding.

In this past year, as globalization and internationalization occupied a large portion of world news, NCKU has also been baptized in the important lesson of internationalization. Along with these exciting and anticipated moments, we’ve inevitably encountered some difficulties and setbacks as well. We’ve realized that internationalization isn’t merely the ability to speak English; what we should strive for is a cultural evolution and a personal shift in attitude as more and more foreigners join into our NCKU community. Perhaps our lack of experience in the past has led us to unexpected outcomes. We modestly accept all suggestions and criticisms and invite you to join us in making every corner of NCKU shine, working towards becoming a top ranked institution so the world can see us.

Lastly I’d like to wish you a health and success in the year ahead.
Sincerely,
H. Jenny Su,
the Vice-President for International Affairs