A four-member delegation of TKU led by President Chang Horng-jinh returned from Japan on Oct. 17 after visiting three Japanese universities.

Other members of the delegation included Vice President for Academic Affairs Feng Chao-kang, Lily Hwei-mei Chen, Director of the Office of International Exchange and International Education; Chang Bing-huan, Deputy Director of Carrie Chang Fine Arts Center and Chung Fang-chen, Chair of Department of Practical Japanese.

In addition to signing sister ties with Aoyama Gakuin University, President Chang and his entourage also attended the celebration of the 120th Founding Anniversary of Komazawa University and made a visit to Heisei International University.

President Chang called on Aoyama Gakuin University on Oct. 11, 2002. President Chang and President of Aoyama Gakuin University Masao Handa signed an Academic Cooperation Accord on behalf of their respective party.

According to the agreement, TKU and Aoyama Gakuin University will start a student exchange program beginning next academic year. As to exchange program for professors it will be on the shelf for a while.

Vice President of Komazawa University Tetzuo Otani signed sister ties with TKU in 1999 when he headed a delegation of Komazawa University to visit TKU three years ago. TKU and Komazawa University started their student exchange program in 2000. President Masaya Amemiya took part in the celebration of the 50th Founding Anniversary of Tamkang.

President Chang and his entourage attended the celebration ceremony of the 120th Founding Anniversary on Oct. 15 at the invitation of President of Komazawa University Tetzuo Otani.

Komazawa University has highly regarded the importance of Zen-buddhism and constructed a Buddhist Cultural Museum where it has a complete collection of Buddhist matters.

President Chang and his entourage tasted a Japanese style tea in the Buddhist Cultural Museum. President Chang who is good at Buddhism gave a keynote speech at the Buddhist recital celebration ceremony of the 120th Founding Anniversary. President Chang’s speech attracted warm applauses from more than 1,000 well-wishers including presidents of Tongkok University, South Korea and Queensland, Australia.

President Chang in the company of his entourage also visited Heisei International University, one of the sister ties with TKU. Heisei International University specially emphasizes on the physical education. Chang, in addition to touring campus, attended the completion ceremony of construction work of playing ground. President Chang also met with 10 TKU students now studying at Heisei as exchange student.

Eitaro Sato, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Heisei International University, played host at a dinner party in honor of President Chang and his entourage. Sato hoped that the cooperative relationship between TKU and Heisei International would be further cemented. A judo team from Heisei International University is slated for a visit to Taiwan in November 2002. President Chang promised to render assistance to Heisei Judo Team.

At the same time, TKU Vice President for Academic Affairs Feng Chao-kang left Taipei last Saturday for Mainland China where he will attend the celebrations of the 50th founding anniversary of Nanjing Aviation University and Beijing Aviation University. Feng will also deliver a speech at the graduate institute under the control of China Science Council.