Exploring Uncharted Territories! South African Representative Hugh Graham Anderson Visits NCCU, Encouraging Collaboration to Create a New Blue Ocean for Studying Abroad
Date :
2024-09-13
Department :
Office of International Cooperation (OIC)
【Article by Office of International Cooperation】
The Representative from the Liaison Office of the Republic of South Africa, Hugh Graham Anderson, visited NCCU’s Office of International Cooperation on September 12. The discussions focused on academic collaborations opportunities between the two sides, with the hope of increasing international mobility for scholars and students. At the beginning of the meeting, Vice President of the Office of International Cooperation, Prof. Yi-Ning Katherine Chen, extended a warm welcome and expressed gratitude to NCCU’s distinguished alumnus, Assistant Professor Leon van Jaarsveldt of NTU’s Global MBA, for facilitating the connection between NCCU and South Africa. Among the NCCU faculty present were Hsiao-Pong Liu, Director of the International Master's Program in Asia-Pacific Studies (IMAS), Yueh-Luen Hu, Associate Dean of the College of Education, and Ping-Yin Kuan, Distinguished Professor at the College of International Innovation.
During the meeting, Anderson shared insights into the current state of higher education in South Africa. With a population of nearly 60 million people but only 26 universities, competition for higher education is fierce. Pursuing further studies abroad has become an alternative path for those seeking academic achievements. Increasing Taiwan's appeal among South African students is a key focus for the South African office in Taiwan. As an alumnus, Professor Leon van Jaarsveldt suggested that NCCU should enhance its marketing efforts in South Africa to boost the university’s brand visibility. Anderson also decided to take the lead by visiting Taiwanese higher education institutions with South African students, followed by domestic promotion efforts in South Africa to deepen students’ understanding of Taiwan and encourage more to study there.
The attending NCCU faculty extended opportunities for collaboration, highlighting their respective schools’ unique strengths, with the aim of attracting more South African students to the university. The College of Education is committed to cultivating excellent educators, educational administrators, and academic researchers, with international exchanges being a key area of development. The College of Social Sciences, which offers comprehensive international programs such as IMAS, has nurtured numerous social science talents over the years. The College of International Innovation was established in 2018, attracting students from over 20 countries to its English-taught courses focusing on global governance, Asian studies, and information technology and innovation. In 2024, as NCCU is working with the University of Johannesburg in terms of student and faculty exchanges Distinguished Professor Ping-Yin Kuan suggested that the Liaison Office of the Republic of South Africa could assist NCCU in establishing more contacts with local universities to strengthen bilateral exchanges.
At the end of the meeting, Anderson expressed his gratitude for NCCU's warm hospitality and highlighted the deep civil exchanges between South Africa and Taiwan. Taiwan’s SMEs are strong, and in the 1960s, the South African government encouraged Taiwanese people to migrate to South Africa, making tens of thousands of Taiwanese settling there. Anderson pledged to act as a driving force to open dialogues and extend this spirit of collaboration to the younger generation, encouraging students from both sides to venture abroad and explore uncharted territories in culture and academics.
The Representative from the Liaison Office of the Republic of South Africa, Hugh Graham Anderson, visited NCCU’s Office of International Cooperation on September 12. The discussions focused on academic collaborations opportunities between the two sides, with the hope of increasing international mobility for scholars and students. At the beginning of the meeting, Vice President of the Office of International Cooperation, Prof. Yi-Ning Katherine Chen, extended a warm welcome and expressed gratitude to NCCU’s distinguished alumnus, Assistant Professor Leon van Jaarsveldt of NTU’s Global MBA, for facilitating the connection between NCCU and South Africa. Among the NCCU faculty present were Hsiao-Pong Liu, Director of the International Master's Program in Asia-Pacific Studies (IMAS), Yueh-Luen Hu, Associate Dean of the College of Education, and Ping-Yin Kuan, Distinguished Professor at the College of International Innovation.
During the meeting, Anderson shared insights into the current state of higher education in South Africa. With a population of nearly 60 million people but only 26 universities, competition for higher education is fierce. Pursuing further studies abroad has become an alternative path for those seeking academic achievements. Increasing Taiwan's appeal among South African students is a key focus for the South African office in Taiwan. As an alumnus, Professor Leon van Jaarsveldt suggested that NCCU should enhance its marketing efforts in South Africa to boost the university’s brand visibility. Anderson also decided to take the lead by visiting Taiwanese higher education institutions with South African students, followed by domestic promotion efforts in South Africa to deepen students’ understanding of Taiwan and encourage more to study there.
The attending NCCU faculty extended opportunities for collaboration, highlighting their respective schools’ unique strengths, with the aim of attracting more South African students to the university. The College of Education is committed to cultivating excellent educators, educational administrators, and academic researchers, with international exchanges being a key area of development. The College of Social Sciences, which offers comprehensive international programs such as IMAS, has nurtured numerous social science talents over the years. The College of International Innovation was established in 2018, attracting students from over 20 countries to its English-taught courses focusing on global governance, Asian studies, and information technology and innovation. In 2024, as NCCU is working with the University of Johannesburg in terms of student and faculty exchanges Distinguished Professor Ping-Yin Kuan suggested that the Liaison Office of the Republic of South Africa could assist NCCU in establishing more contacts with local universities to strengthen bilateral exchanges.
At the end of the meeting, Anderson expressed his gratitude for NCCU's warm hospitality and highlighted the deep civil exchanges between South Africa and Taiwan. Taiwan’s SMEs are strong, and in the 1960s, the South African government encouraged Taiwanese people to migrate to South Africa, making tens of thousands of Taiwanese settling there. Anderson pledged to act as a driving force to open dialogues and extend this spirit of collaboration to the younger generation, encouraging students from both sides to venture abroad and explore uncharted territories in culture and academics.