【Article by IMES】
Professor Heiko Rachinger, a German scholar from the University of the Balearic Islands—National Chengchi University’s Spanish sister university—visited the International Master's Program of Applied Economics and Social Development (IMES) at the College of Social Sciences starting April 21 for a week-long teaching and academic exchange, supported by the EU’s Erasmus Faculty Exchange Program.

The Balearic Islands, located in the Mediterranean Sea, are a renowned tourist destination in Spain that attracts many visitors from the EU and the United States. The University of the Balearic Islands is situated in Palma, the capital of Mallorca, and is known across Europe for its excellence in tourism-related teaching and research. Professor Rachinger, who teaches in the Department of Applied Economics and specializes in statistical analysis, delivered a three-hour lecture on Tourism Macroeconomics to IMES and ETP students on the morning of April 21. He introduced the tourism resources of the Balearic Islands and used data to explain the tourism industry’s impact on the local macroeconomy. He also introduced commonly used data analysis methods in tourism research. Students commented that Professor Rachinger was highly knowledgeable and dedicated in his teaching, and they gained a lot from the session.

In his second lecture, Professor Rachinger shared his recent research paper titled Spurious Precision in Meta-Analysis of Observational Research with graduate students from the Department of Economics and IMES. As big data analysis becomes increasingly popular, this topic proved especially relevant and useful for NCCU students interested in data-intensive research. During his visit, Professor Rachinger also engaged in academic discussions with several NCCU faculty members. The IMES program director arranged a meeting with Professors Chuang Yi-Chi and Huang Po-Chun from the Department of Economics, Professor Fu Chien-Hao from the Department of Public Finance, and Professor Su Yu-Hsuan from the Graduate Institute of Development Studies. In addition to scholarly exchange, NCCU faculty expressed strong interest in visiting the University of the Balearic Islands for further collaboration.

In recent years, the IMES program has actively promoted internationalization. Initiatives include a dual-degree program with the University of Illinois-Chicago, the annual International Symposium on Applied Economics for young scholars in the Asia-Pacific region, and the hosting of EU scholars through the Erasmus Exchange Program. These efforts aim to broaden students' global academic exposure. This year’s fall admissions include students from the UK, Germany, France, Switzerland, Spain, and Italy, reflecting the growing diversity in student backgrounds and nationalities. Current NCCU students interested in joining IMES can apply through the 4+1 program, departmental transfer, or by pursuing a double major or minor.