WASHINGTON, D.C. (Aug. 18, 2022) — Tamkang University and the University of West Florida signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday, Aug. 17 to jointly launch a Taiwan Huayu BEST Program partnership. The MOU was signed by President Martha Dunagin Saunders of UWF and President Huan-Chao Keh of TKU via a virtual ceremony. Deputy Representative Robin J. C. Cheng of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States attended as witness to the ceremony.
Virtual signing ceremony witnessed by Deputy Representative Robin J. C. Cheng
The partnership is meant to deepen Taiwan-U.S. educational cooperation and cultivate an international outlook in students of both universities. This successful endeavor comes after decades of frequent, long-term mutual exchanges between students and academics since the establishment of a sisterhood relationship between the universities in 1977.
During the ceremony, the presidents of both universities expressed appreciation for the support of each side and TECRO. Deputy Rep. Cheng gave remarks and expressed congratulations to the two universities on behalf of Ambassador Bi-Khim Hsiao of TECRO and pointed to the agreement as a success of the U.S.-Taiwan Education Initiative, which will mark its two-year anniversary in December. Cheng said he hoped that similar cooperative projects will continue to bloom as more opportunities are explored for educational cooperation between Taiwan and the U.S.
Group photo of the virtual ceremony: Deputy Representative Robin J. C. Cheng andDr. Aaron Chen, Director of Education Division of TECRO (first from top right), President Martha Dunagin Saunders of UWF(second from top left) and President Huan-Chao Keh of TKU(second from top right)
The ceremony was also attended by Dr. Aaron Chen, Director of Education Division of TECRO; Dr. Gregory Tomso, Vice President of UWF; Dr. Lucia Chen, Vice President for International Affairs; Dr. Chien Mu Yeh, Dean, Office of International and Cross-Strait Affairs of TKU; Ms. Fedra Hui-Yu Chan, Director; and Ms. Claire Chen, Senior Consular Officer of TECO-Miami.