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【Translator：Siou-Yao Han】

【Promotion of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) series】

2023-11-03 President Yueh-Tuan Chen of the National University of Kaohsiung (NUK) was recently invited to lead a delegation on a visit to Japan. During the visit, they shared experiences in incorporating the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into campus governance, promoting gender equity education, analyzing the legal framework for promoting gender equity in Taiwan and Japan, and discussing practical implementation. Additionally, they met with representatives from the University of the Ryukyus to discuss academic exchanges, further deepening the relationship between the institutions.

The Office of International Affairs coordinated this visit, with the Director of Office of International Affairs of NUK, Xing-hao Wu, accompanying the delegation from October 27th to 31st. Vice Governor 池田竹州 of Okinawa personally welcomed President Yueh-Tuan Chen and delegations, expressing warm regards. He emphasized that the Gender Equality Symposium organized by the Okinawa Prefectural Government is a chance to learn from Taiwan's experiences and achievements and to make Okinawa a model for the rest of Japan.

During the symposium, Yueh-Tuan Chen emphasized that campuses are a crucial field for gender equity education. Taiwan has been implementing the "Gender Equity Education Act" for many years, which not only underscores its importance but also regulates its promotion at all levels of education, ensuring its integration into the curriculum. The results of these efforts are reflected in the "Global Gender Inequality Index (GII)," where Taiwan's GII value is low and consistently ranks among the top Asian countries, which means Taiwan has less gender inequality. However, there is still room for improvement.

Yueh-Tuan Chen highlighted the National University of Kaohsiung (NUK) as an example, where NUK has made SDGs the core of institutional governance, linking them with industry and society, and also organized various gender equity education activities. For instance, in September, a course titled "The Goal of University Education," where experts taught students and faculty how to express emotions and develop interpersonal skills effectively. Additionally, NUK has invited lawyers to share insights on gender equality issues and trends in their "Excellence Lecture" series.

The panel of speakers and discussants at the event included 藏根美智子, a member of the Okinawa Prefectural Government's Board of Education, Xing-hao Wu, the Director of Office of International Affairs of NUK, and 杉岡風希, a Japanese student currently studying. The Director of Education at the Prefectural Government, 半嶺滿, and the Vice President of the University of the Ryukyus, 喜納育江, were also present throughout the event.

藏根美智子 mentioned that she had visited many elementary schools, middle schools, and universities in Taiwan. She observed the Taiwanese government's dedicated efforts in planning teaching materials and curricula for students. This has become an important reference for educational policies in Okinawa Prefecture Government and even in Japan as a whole.

Xing-hao Wu stated that promoting gender equality education helps to eliminate discrimination and further promotes the construction of a more equal, diverse, and inclusive society. He also analyzed the follow-up to the recent "Me Too Movement" in Taiwan, including immediate legal amendments and the current situation and prospects of women in entrepreneurship. While 杉岡風希 shared her own experiences of learning and living at the National University of Kaohsiung, as well as the inspiration she gained from these experiences.

In addition, Yueh-Tuan Chen and the delegation also paid a visit to the University of the Ryukyus, where they were received by the university's president, 西田睦. Both parties exchanged views on academic exchanges, faculty and student visits, and reached a consensus on deepening their relationship. In June of this year (2023), the National University of Kaohsiung hosted the "2023 Asia Virtual Academy International Symposium" with a focus on "Climate Resilience and Sustainable Society." The Vice President of the University of the Ryukyus, 喜納育江, led a delegation to participate in presenting research findings and signed an MOU on behalf of the university.

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#SDG5 #SDG17