TKU’s Center for Teaching and Learning held “The 2008 Cross Cultural Conference on Distance Education” in I501 and I601 on Tamsui Campus between Sept. 17 and 18. Initiated by the Japanese sister university, Waseda University and sponsored by both Waseda and TKU, the Conference invited President Flora Chia-I Chang and the Director of Distance Education Center of Waseda University, Dr. Michiko Nakano to give the opening speeches. The Section Chief of TKU’s Distance Education Development Section, Ching-fan Chen hoped that during the conference, both universities would exchange teaching experiences, and participating scholars would strengthen the understanding of distance education in a cross-cultural perspective and jointly thrash out future curriculum development.

TKU signed a protocol for cross-cultural distance education with Waseda University in 2005, and officially offered English Speaking through distance learning in October the same year. The Chair of the Department of English of TKU, I-min Huang has said that because students responded enthusiastically, 4 classes are offered, and will add 7 more classes next semester, totaling 11. He also hoped that through the conference, participants would broaden their distance teaching experiences and horizons to pave the way for future smooth development and cooperation in distance education. ( ~Dean X. Wang )