Soochow, Ochanomizu University Conclude Year-Long Intercultural Exchange Program

In an effort to strengthen Taiwan-Japan educational ties and enhance students' global mobility, Soochow University's Department of Japanese Language and Literature and Japan’s Ochanomizu University launched the year-long “Collaborative Program on Intercultural Understanding.” The initiative fostered transnational partnerships and international perspectives, reaching its culmination with a 16-day study tour in Taiwan that officially ended on March 20, 2026.

Launched in May 2025, the exchange aimed to boost students’ intercultural understanding needed in an increasingly globalized society. During the first phase, Ochanomizu University students participated online in Soochow’s “Comprehensive Japanese Language” course and formed learning groups with students from the Japanese Department. Through collaborative learning, students from both universities explored a range of contemporary social issues, exchanged ideas, and worked together to complete joint projects.

By combining language use with issue-based discussion, the program helped students sharpen their Japanese communication skills while also developing broader and more critical perspectives. Through sharing different viewpoints, participants learned to approach social issues with greater depth and flexibility.

In the final phase, students from Ochanomizu University visited Taiwan for a 16-day in-person study program, transforming the year-long online exchange into face-to-face learning and field-based practice. During their stay, the Japanese students joined Soochow classes, studied alongside local students, and took part in fieldwork activities. These experiences enabled participants to connect what they had learned online with real-life social and cultural contexts.

Through direct interaction and observation in local settings, students deepened their understanding of Taiwanese culture and society while putting intercultural communication into practice. The program not only demonstrated Soochow University’s commitment to international education, but also helped build meaningful friendships between students from the two universities.

The successful completion of the exchange laid a strong foundation for future academic collaboration. Beyond language learning, the program encouraged students to engage with social issues, expand their global perspectives, and develop the intercultural awareness needed for future international exchange.