【Text: Yuan-Ju Hsu, Office of International Affairs; Edited by: Public Affairs Section】

【Translated with the assistance of Google Gemini】

【United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Promotion Series】

2026-05-26 In recent years, the National University of Kaohsiung (NUK) has actively promoted the application of VR (Virtual Reality) and ICT (Information and Communications Technology) in education, alongside expanding international educational exchanges. These efforts attracted a high-level delegation from Japan, led by Yoji Endo, Superintendent of the Kumamoto City Board of Education, who visited NUK from May 21 to 22. In addition to touring the campus and specialized teaching facilities, the delegation exchanged insights on Taiwan-Japan educational cooperation, international talent cultivation, and metaverse curricula. NUK President Chi-Ren Chen is scheduled to lead a reciprocal delegation to Kumamoto at the end of June to further drive collaborative VR teaching and ICT education initiatives.

During the visit, NUK President Chi-Ren Chen officially received the delegation, accompanied by Vice President for Administrative Affairs Hsing-Hao Wu, OIA Oveseas Director Hsing-Ju Lin, and Library and Information Center Director Cheng-Hung Wang. The two sides engaged in extensive discussions regarding higher education trends, global talent cultivation, regional educational partnerships, and future exchange frameworks.

President Chen noted that NUK has long prioritized international mobility and cross-border collaboration, actively broadening its partnerships with Japanese schools and educational institutions at all levels. "NUK maintains a deep bond with Kaohsiung City, working hand-in-hand with the local government across education, urban development, and local governance," President Chen stated. "We look forward to forging closer ties with Kumamoto City in the realms of education, culture, and technology to jointly nurture a new generation of talent with global perspectives."

Showcasing Breakthroughs in Educational Technology

Another core focus of the visit was highlighting NUK’s recent achievements in VR and ICT educational applications. Dr. Cheng-Hung Wang, Director of the Library and Information Center, explained that the NUK team is currently deploying a VR instructional system and an AI-driven personalized learning platform, having already collaborated with numerous schools to expand educational technology deployment. The core platforms have successfully secured patents in Taiwan and the United States, with patent applications currently pending in Japan and Vietnam. To date, the equipment and systems are utilized by over 200 schools across Taiwan.

Superintendent Yoji Endo mentioned that he had previously learned about NUK’s strides in educational technology and international exchange through Dr. Wang, but visiting the campus in person left an even deeper impression. He remarked that moving forward, cooperation should expand beyond student exchanges to encompass faculty, educational administrators, and partnerships between boards of education, thereby elevating Taiwan-Japan educational ties.

Interdisciplinary Departmental Tours and Cultural Collections

The delegation also toured the College of Humanities and Social Sciences to observe NUK’s achievements in language pedagogy, innovative design, and interdisciplinary learning. Dr. Fan-Shik Oh, Chair of the Department of East Asian Languages and Literature, introduced the department's specialized Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese cultural classrooms, showcasing their achievements in East Asian language instruction and cross-cultural studies. Dr. Chun-Yi Weng, Chair of the Department of Crafts and Creative Design, guided the visitors through the department's craft design studios, cultural innovation spaces, and hands-on teaching facilities, showcasing a gallery of student artwork and design portfolios. Both parties explored future opportunities for student exchange and collaboration.

Beyond departmental visits, the delegation toured the NUK Library and Information Center, visiting the dedicated newspaper clipping archive of the Eing-Chie Collection and the Soka Gakkai Daisaku Ikeda Research Area to view precious Japanese-language archives. The newspaper clippings in the Eing-Chie Collection were meticulously gathered and organized by NUK Emeritus Professor Eing-Chie Chiang during his years in Japan, spanning fields such as the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and medicine, possessing significant research and archival value. The delegation highly commended NUK's dedication to preserving Japanese literature and advancing Japanese cultural studies. Superintendent Endo also expressed an intention to donate his personal publications to the NUK Library in the future to continually enrich its Japanese educational resources.

Looking Ahead: Launching the Taiwan-Japan Metaverse Classroom

NUK is slated to visit the Kumamoto City Education Center and Kumamoto Municipal Johoku Elementary School at the end of June. The trip will feature the inaugural Taiwan-Japan Metaverse collaborative course, where students from Kaohsiung and Kumamoto will engage in cross-border interactions via VR and online platforms. The itinerary also includes a visit to Kumamoto University to steadily broaden the Taiwan-Japan ICT education cooperation network.

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