Department of Life Science 生命科學系

Organized by our department and led by Dean Lu Guanghui of the College of Science, a visiting delegation from our university visited Ryukyu University in Japan from December 18th 2014. Over the course of four days, fruitful exchanges and discussions were conducted with the Faculty of Science and the Department of Biology at Ryukyu University. The discussions focused on exploring future collaborations in student exchanges, teaching, and research, along with the associated details.

Preliminary results of the meeting are as follows:

1. There is a strong willingness for collaboration between our university's Department of Life Sciences and the Department of Biology and Chemistry at Ryukyu University. Further discussions will be carried out by the respective departments.

2. Our Department of Life Sciences previously collaborated with Ryukyu University's Department of Biology, which resulted in initial achievements. Professors Izawa Masako and Denda Tetsuo from Ryukyu University's Department of Biology, along with their student Mr. Kobayashi Shun, conducted a study on the bloodvine plant pollination along the Northern Cross-Island Highway in northern Taiwan from February 21, 2014. Mr. Kobayashi continued his research in Taiwan independently for over two months, with assistance from our faculty member, Professor Liao Qizheng of the Department of Life Sciences. The collaboration is set to continue as Mr. Kobayashi plans to return to Taiwan in March 2015 for further research, with support from our department.

3. In addition to the collaboration with Professors Izawa and Denda from Ryukyu University, discussions during this visit touched upon a collaborative project involving amphibians and reptiles, which is already in its preliminary stages. Detailed collaboration plans will be further discussed.

4. In terms of educational exchange, Ryukyu University has a longstanding history of co-organizing a summer research camp for graduate students in collaboration with National Taiwan University and Tunghai University. As our department does not have a graduate program, negotiations will focus on undergraduate student exchange. The preliminary plan is to implement the exchange in 2016, during the second semester of the academic year 2015 or the first semester of the academic year 2016. Approximately 10 to 15 students from our department will be selected to visit Ryukyu University's Department of Biology, and a similar number of students from Ryukyu University will visit our department. A joint class will be conducted by professors from either institution, followed by cross-group short-term experiments and report writing. The entire process will be conducted in English, including teaching, writing reports, and giving oral presentations. While details such as course content, instructors, accommodation, transportation, and field study areas require further discussion, the overall direction of the exchange has reached a consensus between Ryukyu University's Department of Biology and our department. The potential for student exchange is highly promising, and further development of collaboration between the two departments is anticipated.

There are ongoing research collaboration projects between our Department of Life Sciences and Ryukyu University's Department of Biology. Additional projects are also being discussed. Furthermore, the collaboration between the two departments extends beyond research and also includes discussions on undergraduate student exchange. We look forward to further interaction between the two departments and the colleges of our respective universities.

Discussions on collaboration and exchange between Dean Yamasaki Hideo, Dean Lu Guanghui, Director Fu Muxin, and Director Lin Lijin.

Exchange of gifts between Dean Lu Guanghui, Director Fu Muxin, Director Lin Lijin, and Dean Yamasaki Hideo of Ryukyu University's Faculty of Science.

Explanation by Hideo Yamashiro, Director of the Tropical Biosphere Research Center at Ryukyu University.

Visit to Ryukyu University's Tropical Biosphere Research Center.