National Changhua University of Education (NCUE) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Yamato Juken Inc., Japan, to provide internship opportunities in Japan for NCUE students starting as early as the summer of 2025. At the signing ceremony, NCUE Vice President Liang-jui Chen expressed special gratitude to Yamato Juken Inc. for their support for NCUE students. He noted that, in addition to acquiring professional skills, students will have the chance to experience Japan's corporate culture and work environment firsthand, fostering their international perspectives and enhancing their competitiveness in the job market.

Headquartered in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, Yamato Juken Inc. specializes in custom-made housing, focusing on residents' health and comfort by integrating environmentally friendly construction technologies and philosophies. The company also aligns with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, such as good health, clean energy, gender equality, and partnerships for the goals.

This collaboration between NCUE and Yamato Juken Inc. was made possible through the introduction and negotiation assistance of Chao-liang Huang, General Manager of Nichi-Tai Kyoei Co., Ltd., Kuang-lung Kao, President of See Green Industrial Co., Ltd., and Pi-chun Wang, Representative of Hui Chiang International Corp. Yamato Juken Inc. Chairman Masahiro Nishitsu led a delegation to NCUE on November 26, 2024, to sign the MOU and took a tour of the Baoshan Campus.

Regarding the internship initiative, Chairman Nishitsu anticipates welcoming NCUE's first cohort of interns in July 2025. Yamato Juken aims to share its construction techniques and architectural philosophies with the students while gaining fresh perspectives and creative ideas from the interns’ diverse cultural backgrounds and traditions. The company envisions this collaboration as a means to foster stronger ties between Taiwan and Japan and to work together toward a better future through advancements in housing construction.

Vice President Chen emphasized that international academia-industry collaborations and internship programs inspire innovative thinking and help students integrate their academic learning with practical applications, fostering mutual benefits for students and businesses alike. He also looks forward to expanding such opportunities to seamlessly connect NCUE with global industries and nurture more professional talents. The signing ceremony was also attended by Hon Man Lee, Dean of NCUE’s International Office (OICA), and Division Head Sally Chang.

In recent years, OICA’s efforts to promote transnational academia-industry collaboration have yielded promising results. Among these efforts is the "International Master's Program Student Cultivation and Stay-in-Taiwan Project", which provides scholarships and paid internship opportunities for international students through local multinational corporations. Upon graduation, these students are given priority for employment at the companies' facilities in Taiwan or overseas. Currently, nine companies and a few students from Indonesia and Malaysia are participating in the program. The partnership with Yamato Juken Inc. represents a groundbreaking case where a Japanese company offers overseas internship opportunities to NCUE local students, marking a new chapter in academia-industry collaboration.