Fulbright IEA Delegation Visits NCCU to Enhance Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Date :
2026-03-19
Department :
Office of International Cooperation (OIC)
【Article by OIC】
On March 11, 2026, National Chengchi University (NCCU) hosted a delegation from the Fulbright International Education Administrators (IEA) program. The group included representatives from San Francisco State University and the University of San Diego—both university-level partners of NCCU—as well as the University of Florida, a sister school of the NCCU College of Commerce. The delegation also featured representatives from Vanderbilt, Rice, Emory, and Pennsylvania State University. The visit served to strengthen collaborative ties between Taiwanese and American higher education through an exchange of academic research and local initiatives.
NCCU President Tsai-Yen Li highlighted the university's long-standing partnership with Fulbright Taiwan. Since the 2015 launch of the joint-scholarship program, nearly 40 American students have pursued master’s degrees at NCCU in Asia-Pacific Studies, International Communications, and International Studies. President Li expressed immense pride in this synergy, noting that several NCCU professors serve as Fulbright Board members and campus advisors.
Dr. Randall Nadeau, Executive Director of the Foundation for Scholarly Exchange (Fulbright Taiwan), commended NCCU’s evolution. He noted that while both institutions are rooted in the social sciences, NCCU has successfully integrated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) into social policy and global development. This shift aligns with Fulbright’s modern philosophy of emphasizing the "social impact of scientific research."
One of the visiting delegates, Grace Yoo, Dean of the College of Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University, shared that her son is presently studying in NCCU’s International Master of International Communication Studies (IMICS). Joking that she was speaking in the capacity as a “parent,” the student praised NCCU's teaching quality and international environment. She added with a laugh that she often highly recommends her American colleagues to study at NCCU and humorously remarked that she would go to the university gift store to purchase an “NCCU Mom” T-shirt.
Associate Professor Shinn-Shyr Wang (Department of Economics) presented a compelling session titled “The Invisible Shield: Reframing Soft Power in the Age of Silicon and AI.” He mentioned that Taiwan is transitioning from a "rule taker" to a "rule shaper" in the global arena.
According to Wang, NCCU’s primary contribution to the semiconductor ecosystem is not manufacturing but providing the humanities and social science expertise necessary to bridge the "soft power" gap. This interdisciplinary approach is vital for protecting high-tech industries from geopolitical volatility and building national resilience.
Wen-Hao Wang, Project Manager, Office of University Social Responsibility and Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Journalism, discussed the "Taipei Tea Valley" concept. Drawing on Michael Porter’s cluster theory, Wang explained how NCCU is transforming local tea plantations in Maokong and Shihting into hubs of innovation. In his presentation, he mentioned the "Tortoise Tea Good Day" brand, a collaboration with local villagers that turns student curiosity into industry knowledge. The program encouraged international students to connect with the local community, eventually taking Taiwan’s unique tea craftsmanship back to their home countries.
The event featured moving testimonials from Fulbright students currently enrolled in NCCU’s International Master’s programs. Christina Haruka Ellis from IMAS program shared how challenging herself—such as taking a history class conducted entirely in Chinese—led to profound personal growth. She cited the Chinese proverb, "To travel a thousand miles beats reading a thousand books," reflecting on her 8-hour conversation with a taxi driver about the White Terror period and the warmth of the local "A-Peh" (elderly men) she met while hiking. Another student, Catherine HsuLee Tadlock, also from IMAS praised NCCU’s academically diverse environment, which allowed her to study politics, journalism, and development simultaneously. She emphasized that the faculty’s encouragement to explore new fields was a highlight of her time in Taiwan.
The visit concluded with a shared vision for the future, as delegates and NCCU faculty looked forward to further expanding these international academic frontiers.
On March 11, 2026, National Chengchi University (NCCU) hosted a delegation from the Fulbright International Education Administrators (IEA) program. The group included representatives from San Francisco State University and the University of San Diego—both university-level partners of NCCU—as well as the University of Florida, a sister school of the NCCU College of Commerce. The delegation also featured representatives from Vanderbilt, Rice, Emory, and Pennsylvania State University. The visit served to strengthen collaborative ties between Taiwanese and American higher education through an exchange of academic research and local initiatives.
NCCU President Tsai-Yen Li highlighted the university's long-standing partnership with Fulbright Taiwan. Since the 2015 launch of the joint-scholarship program, nearly 40 American students have pursued master’s degrees at NCCU in Asia-Pacific Studies, International Communications, and International Studies. President Li expressed immense pride in this synergy, noting that several NCCU professors serve as Fulbright Board members and campus advisors.
Dr. Randall Nadeau, Executive Director of the Foundation for Scholarly Exchange (Fulbright Taiwan), commended NCCU’s evolution. He noted that while both institutions are rooted in the social sciences, NCCU has successfully integrated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) into social policy and global development. This shift aligns with Fulbright’s modern philosophy of emphasizing the "social impact of scientific research."
One of the visiting delegates, Grace Yoo, Dean of the College of Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University, shared that her son is presently studying in NCCU’s International Master of International Communication Studies (IMICS). Joking that she was speaking in the capacity as a “parent,” the student praised NCCU's teaching quality and international environment. She added with a laugh that she often highly recommends her American colleagues to study at NCCU and humorously remarked that she would go to the university gift store to purchase an “NCCU Mom” T-shirt.
Associate Professor Shinn-Shyr Wang (Department of Economics) presented a compelling session titled “The Invisible Shield: Reframing Soft Power in the Age of Silicon and AI.” He mentioned that Taiwan is transitioning from a "rule taker" to a "rule shaper" in the global arena.
According to Wang, NCCU’s primary contribution to the semiconductor ecosystem is not manufacturing but providing the humanities and social science expertise necessary to bridge the "soft power" gap. This interdisciplinary approach is vital for protecting high-tech industries from geopolitical volatility and building national resilience.
Wen-Hao Wang, Project Manager, Office of University Social Responsibility and Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Journalism, discussed the "Taipei Tea Valley" concept. Drawing on Michael Porter’s cluster theory, Wang explained how NCCU is transforming local tea plantations in Maokong and Shihting into hubs of innovation. In his presentation, he mentioned the "Tortoise Tea Good Day" brand, a collaboration with local villagers that turns student curiosity into industry knowledge. The program encouraged international students to connect with the local community, eventually taking Taiwan’s unique tea craftsmanship back to their home countries.
The event featured moving testimonials from Fulbright students currently enrolled in NCCU’s International Master’s programs. Christina Haruka Ellis from IMAS program shared how challenging herself—such as taking a history class conducted entirely in Chinese—led to profound personal growth. She cited the Chinese proverb, "To travel a thousand miles beats reading a thousand books," reflecting on her 8-hour conversation with a taxi driver about the White Terror period and the warmth of the local "A-Peh" (elderly men) she met while hiking. Another student, Catherine HsuLee Tadlock, also from IMAS praised NCCU’s academically diverse environment, which allowed her to study politics, journalism, and development simultaneously. She emphasized that the faculty’s encouragement to explore new fields was a highlight of her time in Taiwan.
The visit concluded with a shared vision for the future, as delegates and NCCU faculty looked forward to further expanding these international academic frontiers.