On June 24 at 2:30 p.m., the Office of International and Cross-Strait Affairs held the Flag Presentation Ceremony for the 2025 Academic Year Study Abroad Program at the Student Activity Center. A total of 329 students from 11 departments will embark on exchange programs to 103 partner universities across 22 countries. The event was attended by President Huan-Chao Keh, three vice presidents, numerous senior administrators, department chairs, and advisors of the departing students, 180 outbound students, and over 60 parents. Distinguished guests, including Chu-Lien Yen, Minister at the Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Eduardo Euba Aldape, Director of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Taipei; Julian Goldmann, Head of the Education and Science Section at the German Institute Taipei; Kouta Ouchi, Director of the Cultural Affairs and Public Relations Department at the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association; and Louise Crayssac, French Language and Publishing Affairs Officer at the French Office in Taipei, also attended to offer encouragement and blessings.

President Keh began by congratulating the students on their opportunity to broaden their horizons. He noted that during his term, he had visited sister universities in Germany, France, Japan, and more, maintaining strong relations and checking in on Tamkang students abroad, offering support in both academic and daily life. He emphasized Tamkang’s Triple Objectives of Education. Since launching the Junior Abroad program in 1994, the university has sent nearly 10,000 students overseas and received the Ministry of Education’s Award for Excellence in Internationalization Quality Evaluation for Colleges and Universities in 2015. He also noted that various units offer preparatory workshops to help students adjust to life abroad. President Keh encouraged the students to study with confidence, return safely, and enhance their global competitiveness as future international citizens.

During the ceremony, President Keh presented the university flag to representatives of each group by region and department. Dean of International Affairs Chien-Mu Yeh and department chairs accepted the flags and waved them on behalf of the students. Friends and family eagerly took photos to commemorate the proud and moving moment. In their speeches, Eduardo Euba Aldape, Julian Goldmann, and Louise Crayssac congratulated the students and encouraged them to embrace cultural exchange alongside their academic pursuits. Chu-Lien Yen remarked, “You may now feel like a small stream beginning your journey, but through the experiences abroad, you will flow into the vast international ocean—broad, strong, and full of potential, creating endless waves.” Kouta Ouchi shared his experience of engaging with Taiwan’s religious culture and local communities, encouraging students to observe with curiosity and immerse themselves in different cultural contexts to truly understand the world.

Returning student representative Pen-Chun Liao (Accounting, Senior) reflected, “Just going abroad doesn’t automatically make the experience unforgettable—it’s what you do with it.” He encouraged students to pursue what they truly desire and act on things they regret not doing. Outbound student representatives Yun-Ching Huang (French, Junior) and Pin-Ai Chiu (Global Politics and Economics, Sophomore) expressed their feelings of fear, nervousness, and potential loneliness—but acknowledged these as part of growth, urging their peers to embrace imperfection and bravely step into the world, making this study abroad journey a key chapter in their life stories.

Vice President for International Affairs Hsiao-Chuan Chen thanked all guests, faculty, and staff for their support in enabling Tamkang students to pursue their dreams abroad. She concluded with a multilingual expression of gratitude and encouraged students to bring Tamkang’s “Triple Objectives of Education,” “Eight Essential Qualities,” and most importantly, the university’s vision of “AI+SDGs=∞” with them as they grow and learn globally, representing Tamkang as true international citizens.