Discussing opportunities for enhanced collaboration

Delegates from Taiwan’s National Chiayi University (NCYU) and National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU) visited Kampar Campus on 13 November 2018.

Front row, from right: Prof Wung, Dr Lim, Dr Lo, Dr Chang, Prof Liao with other delegates and UTAR staff

Visiting on behalf of NCTU were Department of Food Science Head Assoc Prof Dr Lo Chin-Yu, Department of Biochemical Science and Technology Head Prof Dr Liao Hui-Fen, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Biopharmaceuticals Head Prof Dr Wung Being-Sun, Department of Food Science  lecturer Dr Lu Ying-Chen, and NTOU was Department of Food Science Assoc Prof Dr Chang Jun-Ru.

Welcoming the delegates to Kampar Campus were UTAR Faculty of Science (FSc) Dean Assoc Prof Dr Lim Tuck Meng, along with his Deputy Dean for R&D and Postgraduate Programmes Dr Phoon Lee Quen, Deputy Dean for Student Development and Industrial Training Dr Sit Nam Weng, Department of Agricultural and Food Science Head Dr Ong Mei Kying, Department of Biological Science Head Dr Nor Ismaliza binti Mohd Ismail, Department of Laboratory Management and Safety Administration Dr Ooi Zhong Xian and Department of Biomedical Science Acting Head Dr Tan Gim Cheong, and Division of Community and International Networking Deputy Director Dr Chen I-chi.

The visit aimed to build rapport between UTAR, NCYU and NTOU in order to promote mutual understanding and discuss opportunities for future collaboration in the aspect of student exchange, industrial training, cyber classroom, joint forum, joint research, co-supervision and co-publication. UTAR and NCYU have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in the year 2016.

The meeting commenced with Dr Lim’s welcome address and the presentation of UTAR’s corporate video. Besides that, he also emphasised on FSc’s departments, programme structure and research strength.

Dr Lo thanked UTAR for the warm welcome and said that he is looking forward to more collaborations in the future. Impressed by UTAR’s rapid growth in a mere 16 years since its inception, Dr Lo said, “In terms of the establishment years, UTAR is a young university compared to NCYU. We just celebrated NCYU’s 99th Anniversary early this month.” He also gave a brief introduction about NCYU and College of Life Science.

Later on, Dr Lo, Prof Lu and Prof Wung introduced the core courses, faculty members, research, industrial practice and training, the future plans for graduates and international collaboration of Department of Food Science, Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, and Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Biopharmaceuticals which are parked under the College of Life Science. Subsequently, Dr Chang gave a brief introduction about NTOU and Department of Food Science. She then expressed her intention to have further collaboration with UTAR and FSc.

The meeting was led to further discussion on student exchange and industrial training details related to suitable period, syllabus, credit transfer, exam and expenses; the way to conduct cyber classroom which will be attended by students from both universities; collaboration on research in specific areas; co-supervision for postgraduate students; joint symposium for academics and researchers; and other potential collaborations.

The meeting ended with Dr Lim presenting a token of appreciation to Dr Lo and Dr Chang. It was followed by a group photograph session.

Souvenir exchange between Dr Lim (left) and Dr Lo

Souvenir exchange between Dr Lim (right) and Dr Chang

Campus tour to the attractions in Kampar Campus 

Later on, a series of talks related to food science was conducted by the delegates for FSc students. The topics included “Dietary Constituents Regulate HER2 Expression in Mammary Epithelial Cells” by Dr Chang, “The Working Mechanism of Phytochemical- Induced Cytoprotective Effects” by Prof Wung, “JAK/Stat Signaling Pathway Regulates Megakaryocytic Differentiation” by Prof Liao, “The Occurrence of Reactive Dicarbonyl Species and Their Reaction with Polyphenols” by Dr Lo and “Development of Functional Probiotics” by Dr Lu.  

Clockwise, from top left: Dr Chang, Prof Wung, Dr Lu, Dr Lo and Prof Liao conducting the talks

FSc’s students listening attentively

National Chiayi University (NCYU) is one of the oldest and most comprehensive universities in the southern part of Taiwan and was formed in February 2000 by merging two existing colleges in Chiayi, namely National Chiayi Institute of Technology and National Chiayi Teachers College. There are six colleges in NCYU, namely Teachers College, College of Humanities and Arts, College of Management, College of Agriculture, College of Science and Engineering and College of Life Sciences.

National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU) is a university with a unique maritime focus. It was established in the year 1953 as Provincial Taiwan Maritime Technology College. It became a maritime college in 1964 and was renamed as the National Taiwan College of Marine Science and Technology in 1979. It became a full-fledged university in 1989. At present, NTOU has seven colleges, including College of Maritime Science and Management, College of Life Sciences, College of Ocean Science and Resource, College of Engineering, College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Ocean Law and Policy and College of Humanities and Social Sciences.