The first day of the Spring Semester at Lanyang Campus was open with a grand ceremony that invited the Mayor of I-lan County, who delivered his personal best wishes to all the faulty, staff and students of Lanyang. The opening ceremony is the first for Lanyang Campus, as it just moved to the present address in Chiao-hsi, I-lan County in January. For this important occasion, following the academic philosophy of this campus, all speeches during the ceremony were in English, apart from that of the Mayor. In addition, students put on their departmental “uniform” to mark the uniqueness of their campus, which is cultivating a sense of “unity” as in a family.

For example, the guys in the Department of Global Politics and Economics put on dark suits, and the girls in the Department of Multicultural and Linguistic Studies wore tartan skirts with either black stockings or boots. These clothes illustrate a strong sense of solidarity among the students and their connection with the campus.

Dr. Flora Chang, the President of TKU, delivered her speech in impeccable English, encouraging students to take advantage of the collegiate residential system, in which a harmonious personal relationship is of utmost significance. She also reminded students to work hard by getting up early as the Chiao-hsi sunrise is notoriously spectacular. Above all, she stated that Lanyang Campus is an ideal place for acquiring a global vision, an ability that will increase everyone’s competitive edge when they leave university.

As the campus was completed recently, some of the facilities have not reached their full capacity. For instance, according to most students, the choice of food is quite limited in the Canteen, Internet connection is not yet stable, and the campus is slightly remote. Other than that, they do appreciate the fresh air and gorgeous view the campus is able to provide. In given time, they are confident that life can only get better. (~ Ying-hsueh Hu )