The year 2023 has been a milestone for our institution in terms of cultural exchange and academic advancement. This year, the International Department significantly expanded the scope of the Sister School Language and Cultural Study Group program, not only in terms of the number of participants but also in the diversity of sister schools involved. This initiative provided students from across the globe with an extraordinary opportunity to engage in language learning and cultural experiences.

Participation included 22 students from distinguished sister institutions such as UNDIKNAS (Indonesia), UHH (Germany), PHZH (Switzerland), CPU (Philippines), the University of Minnesota (USA), MJU (South Korea), SVA (New York), UTAR (Malaysia), Artevelde (Belgium), and PHTG (Switzerland).

The itinerary was packed and enriching, ranging from a warm welcome dinner on the first day to a closing ceremony on the ninth day. Participants engaged in various language courses, cultural workshops, and off-campus visits. In the language courses, students developed fundamental Mandarin communication skills, marking a significant milestone in their language learning journey. Moreover, the cultural workshops, including the crafting of red-brick mini-houses and traditional lanterns, provided hands-on experience of Chinese culture and its symbolisms.

Several off-campus visits were also organized, including trips to the Kuo Yuan Ye Museum of Cake and Pastry, the National Palace Museum, and an exhibition of the renowned director Tsai Ming-liang's work, allowing students to immerse themselves in Taiwan's history and artistic milieu. A highlight was attending the "2023 TEDxNTUE" event, where students gained invaluable insights from internationally acclaimed speakers.

Throughout these ten days of activities, we witnessed students from diverse cultural backgrounds forging friendships through mutual interaction. Notably, on the last day of 2023, in addition to the participants of this program, we also invited degree students and exchange students from our own institution to gather together. We prepared iconic Taiwanese delicacies such as chicken fillet and bubble tea, creating not only a space for exchange but also celebrating the serendipity of coming together in Taiwan to welcome the New Year.

The program concluded amidst laughter and cherished memories. A retrospective video capturing the event's highlights was shared, perfectly summarizing the experience and leaving participants with not only educational gains but also precious cross-cultural friendships.

回顧影片連結Retrospective Video Link: https://youtu.be/iA66oQHwNBA

pGroup Photo at the Bell Tower after the Closing Ceremony

pGroup Photo after Participating in the 2023 TEDxNTUE

pGroup Photo of Participants, Degree Students, and Exchange Students Gathered Together on December 31, 2023

pGroup Photo during the Tamsui Historical and Cultural Tour

pGroup Photo at the National Palace Museum