SDG17
Harvard Taipei Academy Group Visits NCKU for Cultural Immersion
Written by Lin Yun-Mao. Image credit to NCKU Office of Internation Affairs.
On July 14th, a group of 20 students from the Harvard Taipei Academy traveled to NCKU to gain a deeper understanding of Taiwan's academic, cultural, and historical landscape. Sun-Yuan Hsieh, Vice President of NCKU's Office of International Affairs, provided an overview of the campus. Additionally, Takahashi Ryosuke, a Harvard alumnus and assistant professor in the mathematics department, shared his experiences teaching and living at NCKU. The visit also included language exchange sessions, where NCKU Student Union and ISV students welcomed the American guests and engaged in conversations about the rich cultural heritage and charm of NCKU and the historical city of Tainan, providing a valuable opportunity for the Harvard Taipei Academy students to practice their Mandarin and explore the local culture firsthand.
Vice President Hsieh extended a warm welcome to the students, highlighting that 2024 marked a special year as it is the 400th anniversary of the Dutch arrival in Tainan , signaled Taiwan's emergence on the world stage. He also noted that as the oldest university in the city, NCKU embraced the opportunity to showcase the history and culture of Tainan to the visiting scholars. Vice President Hsieh then presented them with a local delicacy, Taina Brown Sugar Bun Cake , and explained the traditional customs surrounding its consumption. This approach combined food, culture, and history, giving them a real taste of Tainan's heritage.
Takahashi Ryosuke , served as assistant professor of the Department of Mathematics since 2018, shared his insights and experiences as a member of NCKU. One story he shared was that he initially thought he would enjoy the sun and various outdoor activities after moving from rainy Taipei. However, he soon realized the intense heat and burning sun often kept him indoors since his arrival. The students responded with amused smiles.
To provide opportunities for oral Mandarin practice, NCKU Student Union and ISV students served as one-on-one language partners for the day, using Mandarin to engage in conversation and interaction with the Harvard Taipei Academy students. At the end of the day, the group strolled to the Banyan Garden, learning about the historical sites on campus and the famous Banyan tree's fascinating history—planted by Crown Prince Hirohito (later Emperor Shōwa) during the Japanese Colonial period. They capped off the day with a group photo in front of the century-old banyan tree.
The Harvard Taipei Academy, also known as the Harvard Summer Program in Taipei, Taiwan, is organized by Harvard University's Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations . The program provides students from top American universities with the opportunity to hone their fluency in Mandarin while immersing themselves in Asia. The second Harvard Taipei Academy officially kicked off at National Taiwan University on June 16th, marking the start of an eight-week intensive Mandarin language course. This year, the program boasts 52 enrollees from prestigious universities: Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Williams College, Columbia University, Duke University, Brown University, Reed College, and so on. Beyond the language courses, the program offers a diverse range of extracurricular cultural activities. One highlight is the five-day, four-night Social Study Project , where the students are divided into three groups to explore central, eastern, and southern Taiwan. This journey provides them with the opportunity to visit various historically, culturally, and geographically significant locations.
Provider: NCKU News Center
Date: 2024-07-30
On July 14th, a group of 20 students from the Harvard Taipei Academy traveled to NCKU to gain a deeper understanding of Taiwan's academic, cultural, and historical landscape. Sun-Yuan Hsieh, Vice President of NCKU's Office of International Affairs, provided an overview of the campus. Additionally, Takahashi Ryosuke, a Harvard alumnus and assistant professor in the mathematics department, shared his experiences teaching and living at NCKU. The visit also included language exchange sessions, where NCKU Student Union and ISV students welcomed the American guests and engaged in conversations about the rich cultural heritage and charm of NCKU and the historical city of Tainan, providing a valuable opportunity for the Harvard Taipei Academy students to practice their Mandarin and explore the local culture firsthand.
Vice President Hsieh extended a warm welcome to the students, highlighting that 2024 marked a special year as it is the 400th anniversary of the Dutch arrival in Tainan , signaled Taiwan's emergence on the world stage. He also noted that as the oldest university in the city, NCKU embraced the opportunity to showcase the history and culture of Tainan to the visiting scholars. Vice President Hsieh then presented them with a local delicacy, Taina Brown Sugar Bun Cake , and explained the traditional customs surrounding its consumption. This approach combined food, culture, and history, giving them a real taste of Tainan's heritage.
Takahashi Ryosuke , served as assistant professor of the Department of Mathematics since 2018, shared his insights and experiences as a member of NCKU. One story he shared was that he initially thought he would enjoy the sun and various outdoor activities after moving from rainy Taipei. However, he soon realized the intense heat and burning sun often kept him indoors since his arrival. The students responded with amused smiles.
To provide opportunities for oral Mandarin practice, NCKU Student Union and ISV students served as one-on-one language partners for the day, using Mandarin to engage in conversation and interaction with the Harvard Taipei Academy students. At the end of the day, the group strolled to the Banyan Garden, learning about the historical sites on campus and the famous Banyan tree's fascinating history—planted by Crown Prince Hirohito (later Emperor Shōwa) during the Japanese Colonial period. They capped off the day with a group photo in front of the century-old banyan tree.
The Harvard Taipei Academy, also known as the Harvard Summer Program in Taipei, Taiwan, is organized by Harvard University's Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations . The program provides students from top American universities with the opportunity to hone their fluency in Mandarin while immersing themselves in Asia. The second Harvard Taipei Academy officially kicked off at National Taiwan University on June 16th, marking the start of an eight-week intensive Mandarin language course. This year, the program boasts 52 enrollees from prestigious universities: Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Williams College, Columbia University, Duke University, Brown University, Reed College, and so on. Beyond the language courses, the program offers a diverse range of extracurricular cultural activities. One highlight is the five-day, four-night Social Study Project , where the students are divided into three groups to explore central, eastern, and southern Taiwan. This journey provides them with the opportunity to visit various historically, culturally, and geographically significant locations.
Provider: NCKU News Center
Date: 2024-07-30
Twenty participants from the Harvard Taipei Academy posed for a photo in front of NCKU's iconic banyan tree.
Elliot Smith, the representative from the Harvard Taipei Academy visiting group, presented a certificate of appreciation to Vice President Hsieh.
Vice President Hsieh (right) welcomed the students and gave a brief overview of NCKU and Tainan.
A group photo taken in the Living Nexus Quadra , the new public space located in Kuang-Fu 2, the male dormitory.
