A delegation of 6 people led by Ming Ju, vice president of Chongqing University, was on a visit to 7 colleges and universities of Taiwan from May 13 to 18, 2019. The purpose of the visit was to negotiate with U12 Consortium about signing and cooperation on behalf of Excellence 9, and to expand inter-school cooperation and communication with colleges and universities of Taiwan. The delegation also paid a visit to exchange students studying in sister schools of Taiwan and previous exchange students of Chongqing University.
On the morning of May 14, Chongqing University delegation visited Tamkang University and paid an official visit to President Ge Huanzhao of Tamkang University. Ming Ju invited President Ge to the 90th Anniversary Celebration of Chongqing University on behalf of Chongqing University. After that, they had a meeting with Vice President Wang Gaocheng of Tamkang University in charge of international affairs. The two sides had discussion about the inter-school cooperation agreement and academic and teacher-student exchange. The two parties agreed on signing of related agreements as soon as possible. Secretary General Liu Aihua of Tamkang University, Dean Li Zonghan of the School of Engineering, Director Yan Xinhui of the School of Accounting, Director Chen Xiaoque of the Office of International and Mainland-Taiwan Affairs in charge of international affairs, and Group Head Lin Enru were also present at the meeting.
On the afternoon of May 14, Chongqing University delegation visited Shih Hsin University. The rotating meeting of U12 Consortium was going on at the time of visit. President Wu Chengqian of Shih Hsin University, the current chairing university of U12 Consortium, extended his welcome to Chongqing University delegation on behalf of U12 Consortium, and gave a view of the detailed process of bilateral agreement between U12 Consortium and Excellence 9. Ming Ju negotiated with responsible persons of the universities and colleges of U12 Consortium about the specific time and form of cooperation agreement signing. Ming Ju introduced the basic information on Chongqing University, and invited the colleges and universities of U12 Consortium to the 90th Anniversary Celebration, and proposed to sign the bilateral agreement during the celebration. It was proposed that the student exchange and academic cooperation should be expedited under the bilateral cooperation framework. Furthermore, Ming Ju invited colleges and universities of U12 Consortium to the student exchange activities to be held at Chongqing University in the summer of 2020. Chen Zhengui, president of Shih Chien University, a member of U12 Consortium, gave a view of the programs and characteristics of the University, and expressed his intention to learn internal cooperation experience from U12 Consortium. He Mingguo, president of Daedong College, introduced the advantages of its engineering courses, and its focus on enterprise-run schools and application, and enterprise-university cooperation. Vice President Wu Jiexin of Taipei Medical University introduced the history and disciplinary characteristics of the University. Eventually, the two sides reached an initial agreement that U12 Consortium delegation would visit Chongqing University and sign the bilateral cooperation agreement in October 2019 during the 90th Anniversary Celebration of Chongqing University.
On the morning of May 15, 2019, CQU delegation visited Soochow University. Pan Dawei, president of Soochow University, Director Wang Shihe of Mainland-Taiwan Affairs Center, Zheng Kouyu, dean of the School of Law, and Wang Yumei, director of the Mainland-Taiwan Affairs Center, discussed with the delegation over the department and school communication and academic cooperation. Soochow University started to send exchange students to Chongqing University in 2010. In 2011, the two parties signed a cooperation agreement. Xu Jun, director of the Office of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan Affairs, gave an introduction to the basic information of Chongqing University and efforts made by CQU in Mainland-Taiwan student exchange. Huang Xisheng, dean of the School of Law of Chongqing University, introduced the School, and discussed with the School of Law of Soochow University over student-teacher communication, co-organization of forums and exchange of students and teachers. Furthermore, the delegation learned that Soochow University had an extraordinary foreign language teaching faculty. Ming Ju expressed his intention to cooperate with Soochow University in Japanese teaching and collaborative student cultivation.
On the afternoon of May 15, Chongqing University delegation paid a visit to Taipei Medical University, Wu Jiexin, vice president of Taipei Medical University, Liu Jingping, dean of the School of Pharmacy, Fang Xubin, deputy director of the School of Medicine, and Lin Liangzong, head of the International Affairs Group, respectively gave an introduction to the University and related departments. Ming Ju introduced the agreement signing between Excellence 9 and U12 Consortium, and expressed his intention to establish a sister-university relation with Taipei Medical University and cooperate with the latter in student and teacher exchange. President Wu responded delightedly to the proposal. After that, Xu Jun, director of the Office of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan Affairs, gave a brief introduction to Chongqing University, and expressed his hope that Taipei Medical University would participate in more student and exchange communication and student activates within the cooperation framework between Excellence 9 and U12 Consortium. Wang Yazhou, deputy dean of the School of Pharmacy, gave an introduction to preparation of the School of Medicine of Chongqing University. The two universities had heated discussion over the potential cooperation areas between the two.
On the morning of May 16, CQU delegation visited Providence University. Ming Ju, signed the inter-university cooperation agreement and student exchange agreement with Wen Jiaxian, vice president of Providence University, on behalf of Chongqing University, Yuan Wenquan, director of the Office of Social Science of Chongqing University, introduced the efforts made by Chongqing University in social science. The department and school representatives from the two universities expressed their intention to cooperate in areas such as humanities and social science, intelligent medical treatment, movie and TV communication and dissemination of news. Li Junyan, dean of the School of Humanities and Social Science of Providence University, Li Jiemin, head of the Department of Law, Li Zhijun, head of the Department of Information Engineering, and Li Mingying, head of the Department of Mass Communication, were also present at the meeting.
On the afternoon of May 16, the delegation arrived at Feng Chia University. Li Bingqian, president of Feng Chia University, extended his warm welcome to the delegation, and introduced the thoughts on student cultivation and vision of Feng Chia University. Vice President Ming Ju invited President Li to the 90th Anniversary Celebration to be held in October 2019, and gave an introduction to the development history and characteristics specialties of Chongqing Universities. The two signed the academic cooperation agreement and student exchange agreement under witness of the representatives of the two sides. Wang Yazhou emphasized the biomechanics and related information on the School of Medicine. Qiu Chuangqian, vice president of Feng Chia University, also gave an introduction to the related specialties of the University, and expressed his intention to cooperate with Chongqing University in areas such as medicine-engineering integration and architectural design. Qiu also sincerely invited Chongqing University students to the summer student program of Feng Chia University. CQU delegation visited the Chuangneng School, Renchuang Center and Industrial Robot Center of the School of Architecture of Feng Chia University. They were deeply impressed by the human-oriented campus design of the University, and had a deep understanding of the cultivation target as described by President Li Bingqian: To cultivate innovation talents that are able to participate in industrial upgrading.
During the visit, the delegation also went to the School of Law of Chinese Culture University to discuss the inter-school cooperation projects; furthermore, the delegation also paid a visit to students who got ill during the exchange period at National Taiwan University Hospital, and expressed concerns and hoped that they would recover soon.
The delegation visit has proved to be a successful one. Time and form for agreement signing has been decided upon with U12 Consortium. Inter-university and student exchange agreements have been signed with Peng Chia University and Providence University. Inter-university cooperation intention has been reached with Tamkang University and Taipei Medical University.
Attachment: Introduction to U12 Consortium
In order to build a counterpart of Ivy League for Chinese people, and fully utilize advantages of the colleges and universities, nine private universities with long history and outstanding performance, including Daedong College, Taiwan Culture University, Shih Hsin University, Soochow University, Tamkang University, Fujen Catholic University, Ming Chuan University, Shih Chien University and Taipei Medical University, jointly founded the “U9 Consortium” in 2012. The universities and colleges have been helping each other and integrating teaching resources, so as to achieve a group effect. Later, another three universities, namely, Chung Yuan Christian University, Peng Chia University and Providence University, applied to join the Consortium. After that, it was renamed as “U12 Consortium”. All member universities and colleges of U12 Consortium have a history of more than 50 years, and each has their distinctive advantages. Their programs and disciplines span across various areas including science and engineering, commercial science, agriculture, medicine, media, law, Chinese, livelihood, education, environment, art and design. Students may choose proper courses according to their abilities and interests and select top courses of each college and university to strengthen their professional learning. Students with two majors or one major and one minor in different colleges and universities may have the name of the university or college added onto their certificate of degree after approved. Students with two majors may have the name of degrees added onto their certificates. Those students may have greater competitiveness in the job market. Besides inter-school course taking, eligible students of colleges and universities of “U12 Consortium” may also apply to become an exchange student within the Consortium.
