The Alumni Association of National Chengchi University in Southern California held a North American Alumni Summit at the Marriott Los Angeles Monterey Park on June 15th. Nearly 200 “Chengchi alumni” from around the world participated in the event, introducing the current development of the university and planning to cultivate more outstanding graduates through alumni resources.
The President of National Taiwan Normal University, Wu Cheng-chi, led Vice Presidents Yin Yung-hsiang and Chen Kun-ming, Academic Affairs Dean Liu Mei-hui, as well as deans from various colleges such as the College of Education, Literature, Science, Art, and Industry Creation, in the “2024 National Taiwan Normal University North American Alumni Summit”. The Chairman of the National Taiwan Normal University Alumni Association, Hsu Sheng-hsiung, also strongly supported the event, making a special trip from Taiwan to participate in the meeting.
President of the Southern California Alumni Association, Tang Keh-cheng, mentioned that alumni from various cities in the United States and Canada gathered to enhance the sustainable development energy of Chengchi University. Besides socializing, they also aim to promote the excellent traditions of the university and contribute to their alma mater. The National Taiwan Normal University North America Foundation (NTNUHF of N.A.) has raised over one million U.S. dollars to assist the university in promoting academic development and talent cultivation, ensuring the sustainable operation of the institution and aiming to become a top international university.
The Southern California Alumni Association has been established for 48 years since 1976, with the goal of fostering alumni friendships through leisure, education, and community service activities. Alumni members are involved in teaching at universities, primary and secondary schools in the United States, as well as serving in the Chinese School League and various industries. The alumni association organizes various events annually, providing services to alumni and overseas compatriots, making significant contributions to the community.
The Director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles, Chi Chin-yao and his wife also attended the summit. Chi mentioned that Chengchi alumni are spread worldwide, contributing in promoting Chinese education, arts, sports, and various fields. He expressed his pleasure in participating in the grand event and looks forward to Chengchi University becoming a top international institution.
President Wu Cheng-chi stated that currently, around 12% of Chengchi University’s students are international students. Many universities are striving to enhance campus internationalization to attract more international students. However, for National Taiwan Normal University, creating a bilingual-friendly environment is just one of the conditions to attract foreign students. The crucial factor lies in allowing international students to learn Chinese, acquaint themselves with Taiwan, and Asian culture, offering unique enrollment incentives with local characteristics.
Approximately six to seven thousand people come to the university each year to study Chinese. In response to government initiatives, more graduates now have the opportunity to stay and work in Taiwan. Taiwan’s education resources are excellent, contributing to the cultivation of human resources for various industries. The efforts have been quite effective. The issue of an aging population is a challenge faced by all universities in Taiwan, including Chengchi University. To attract more students, the university is actively recruiting from countries in Southeast Asia, Europe, and Asia.