From March 24th to 28th, 2024, Lingnan University and National Chung Cheng University successfully held a five-day academic exchange program in Taiwan. This event aimed to deepen the academic cooperation between the two higher education institutions and enhance mutual understanding in the fields of teaching and research, with special focus on discussions around the protection of the rights of the elderly and the operational models of institutions for learning in later life.

The delegation from Lingnan University included members from fiveTaught Postgraduate Programmes : Master of Science in Health Analytics and Management (HAM), Master of Social Science in Health and Social Services Management (MHSM), Master of Science in Smart Ageing and Gerontology (SAG), Master of Social Science in Organizational Psychology and Education Management (OPEM), and Master of Art in International Higher Education and Management (IHEM). Through on-site visits and interactive learning, the teachers and students experienced the living conditions and learning models of the elderly in Taiwan, thereby promoting cultural and experiential exchange.

On March 25th, the delegation first visited the Gu-Keng Lianzhu Garden Community in Taiwan to understand their community development philosophy of"mutual aid and shared benefit." Community volunteers shared their various mutual aid models with the delegation, especially in support of family caregivers. Teachers and students discussed their service provision models, and both parties explored the possibilities of expanding these innovative practices.

Subsequently, the Lingnan University delegation visited the Gukeng Leling Learning Demonstration Center, where they exchanged ideas with the center's management and members, and participated in an elder coffee roasting workshop. Through interaction with the elderly, the teachers and students enhanced their understanding of happy aging learning and lifelong education concepts, as well as gaining further insight into how to achieve active aging.

Following this, the delegation visited Xin-gang Su Garden, where they engaged in in-depth discussions with the renowned physician Dr. Chen Jin-huang. Dr. Chen elaborated on the concept of"social prescriptions" and its development globally, and introduced the localization of"social prescriptions" in the Xin-gang community. Through conversations with Dr. Chen, the students gained a deeper appreciation of the importance of"social prescriptions" in promoting community health and improving residents' quality of life.

On March 26th, Lingnan students delved into the classroom setting, joining students from National Chung Cheng University in a lecture on elder human rights clinics hosted by Professor Shi Hui-ling. With her unique teaching style and extensive professional knowledge, Professor Shi guided the students in exploring human rights issues within the context of aging. This elder human rights clinic session provided the students with a unique learning platform, supplementing their academic knowledge and inspiring them to reflect on elder human rights issues.

On the morning of March 27th, the delegation visited the Xi-Kou Cognitive Disorder Mutual Aid Family. This mutual aid organization, initiated by Dr. Tsao Wen-long, the director of the Dementia Center at Chiayi Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, aims to provide respite support to caregivers of people with cognitive disorders, helping to alleviate their stress and psychological burden. The delegation discussed the operation model of the mutual aid family with Dr. Tsao and the family caregivers.

In the afternoon of the same day and on the 28th, the delegation participated in a day-and-a-half academic seminar. During the conference, teachers and students from both institutions conducted in-depth discussions on education and social policy in East Asia.

This academic exchange event not only deepened the cooperation between the two universities but also laid a solid foundation for future joint research and academic exchanges. Representatives from Lingnan University and National Chung Cheng University look forward to ongoing collaboration, particularly in the fields of elder services, social policy, and education. Both sides hope to work together to promote academic development and social progress, contributing to the educational advancement of East Asia and the world.