Five people from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU), including their Associate Dean of Student Affairs Dr. Yuichi Kondo, visited TKU on Feb. 26 and exchanged opinions on Japanese teaching and academic systems with Dr. Tai Wan-chin, Vice President for International Affairs, and other TKU representatives at Ching-sheng International Conference Hall.

Dr. Kondo indicated that APU is preparing to form a counseling center for freshmen, so he was especially interested in how TKU raises student quality and instructs freshmen. Chiang Kuo-fang, the Section Chief of Registration Section, Office of Academic Affairs, replied that the precautionary system that works right after the results of mid-term exam effectively warns the students on the edge of failure, hence lowers the dropout rate. Moreover, parents can also know their children’s score through the system.

Dean of Office of Academic Affairs Dr. Keh Huan-chao pointed out that TKU not only carries out “two student advisers per class” to assist freshmen in both schoolwork and life, but also holds meeting for frenshmen’s parents, so that they can know the resource and support the school provides. Chiang Kuo-fang even led the guests to the Office of Academic Affairs and demonstrated how to use Online Course Selection System and Score Checking System, which impressed them a lot. Dr. Kondo expressed that only few colleges in Japan could carry out “two student advisers per class” in the freshman year, so he thought TKU was really doing a great job. ( ~Shu-chun Yen )