SDG17
NCKU, in Collaboration with Chiba University, Has Launched a Cross-National "Pathways to Healthy Aging" Summer Intensive Course
The "Companionship 2026" project at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) follows its intensive international course collaboration with Chiba University during the winter break of early 2024 by hosting the "International Course – Pathways to Healthy Aging" in Tainan during the summer. This initiative aims to share Taiwan's focus on healthy aging and NCKU’s innovative local strategies for aging with the Chiba University team. These two field-based international courses have fostered a positive cycle of knowledge exchange between NCKU faculty and students and their Japanese counterparts.
Unlike the winter break visit to Japan, which focused on visiting institutions and interviewing local seniors, the summer course featured the "One-Day Companionship" activity. Students were divided into groups to closely participate in the daily lives of older adults, gaining insights into their lives through aspects such as food, clothing, housing, transportation, and leisure. Nine elderly individuals from Beiqu Ren'ai and Zhongxi Nanmei neighborhoods shared their personal activities, community gardening, community sports, family shopping, and volunteer services. Students observed, analyzed, and designed solutions based on these interactions.
The Companionship 2026 project team noted that simply interviewing local leaders or allowing students to explore freely might result in insufficient data depth and that elderly individuals often feel nervous during interviews, leading to potential gaps in understanding for international students through translation. The "One-Day Companionship" provided students with a genuine opportunity to immerse themselves in the daily lives of older adults and showcase NCKU's years of efforts in promoting local healthy aging to the Chiba University faculty and students.
Unlike the winter break visit to Japan, which focused on visiting institutions and interviewing local seniors, the summer course featured the "One-Day Companionship" activity. Students were divided into groups to closely participate in the daily lives of older adults, gaining insights into their lives through aspects such as food, clothing, housing, transportation, and leisure. Nine elderly individuals from Beiqu Ren'ai and Zhongxi Nanmei neighborhoods shared their personal activities, community gardening, community sports, family shopping, and volunteer services. Students observed, analyzed, and designed solutions based on these interactions.
The Companionship 2026 project team noted that simply interviewing local leaders or allowing students to explore freely might result in insufficient data depth and that elderly individuals often feel nervous during interviews, leading to potential gaps in understanding for international students through translation. The "One-Day Companionship" provided students with a genuine opportunity to immerse themselves in the daily lives of older adults and showcase NCKU's years of efforts in promoting local healthy aging to the Chiba University faculty and students.
NCKU and Chiba University have jointly offered the "Pathways to Healthy Aging" international intensive course, and for the final presentations, they invited community seniors to provide feedback and suggestions.
lderly residents from Beiqu Ren'ai neighborhood worked with students to organize the community garden, which was a living space previously planned and implemented by NCKU faculty, students, and the community.
In the course, students learned various theories of healthy aging and creative thinking tools.
Through the One-Day Companionship activity, students closely participated in the daily lives of older adults.
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