The Department of Chemistry recently hosted the “Keio University–Tamkang University Student Leadership Forum,” jointly organized by Professor Hsiu-Fu Hsu of Tamkang University and Professor Kazuo Yamashita of the Faculty of Science and Technology at Keio University. A total of 17 faculty members and students from Keio visited Tamkang for the exchange. Through keynote speeches, group discussions, and final presentations, the forum promoted academic and cultural interaction and collaboration between students from both institutions. Since initiating exchanges in 2015, the two universities have conducted 11 mutual visits to date.
The event began with ice-breaking activities, followed by student group presentations and discussions. The keynote speech was delivered by Associate Professor Tadahiro Yamashita from Keio University, who shared his research journey and insights, outlining academic development pathways and practical experiences to help students better understand research directions in science and technology. In the afternoon, discussions centered on the annual theme, “Future Technologies for Human Well-being,” with topic briefings and cross-university group discussions designed to foster cross-cultural communication and teamwork.
Students were organized into mixed groups and conducted discussions in English, producing group presentations on topics such as applications of psychological memory, hardware technologies, smart pet food certification systems, and technologies for health and longevity. Faculty members commended the students for completing collaborative international projects within a short time and noted that many projects demonstrated both technical feasibility and social impact, reflecting an integration of engineering and humanistic thinking.
Participant Kuan-Chun Cheng, a first-year chemistry student, shared that working with Japanese students exposed her to different ways of thinking and living, broadening her international perspective and generating diverse viewpoints through cultural differences. Yung-Hsin Chen and Pei-Chieh Shih observed that Japanese students place strong emphasis on detail and preparation, offering a different learning approach and highlighting the importance of cross-language communication.
Chemistry students Hong-Yi Lee and Tsung-Tse Chen also noted the high level of focus and respect demonstrated by Japanese students during presentations and discussions, leaving a strong impression. They believed that differences in working styles between Taiwanese and Japanese students enriched the discussions, making them more flexible and in-depth, and further stimulating innovative thinking.
