Dean Yu-Pin Lin (second from left), Professor Feng-Cheng Chang (left), and Associate Dean Chih-Hao Fan (right) visiting laboratories at Hokkaido University’s Graduate School of Agriculture.
Japan — During October 23-24, 2025, a delegation from National Taiwan University’s College of Bioresources and Agriculture (CBA-NTU), led by Dean Yu-Pin Lin, visited two of Japan’s top agricultural research institutions—Hokkaido University and Tohoku University—to deepen academic collaboration and foster global engagement in the agricultural sciences.
The visit commenced on October 23 at Hokkaido University’s Graduate School of Agriculture, with which CBA-NTU has established a Dual Doctoral Degree Program. The first round of student recruitment for the program will be announced soon. During the meeting, Prof. Feng-Cheng Chang, Chair of the School of Forestry and Resource Conservation, and Prof. Yi-Chen Lo, Chair of the Graduate Institute of Food Science and Technology, met with counterparts from Hokkaido University to discuss potential joint research directions and future cooperation.
Hokkaido University also arranged an in-depth discussion between their faculty specializing in bioenvironmental engineering and Dean Lin and Associate Dean Chih-Hao Fan. Both sides expressed strong interest in promoting collaborative research, enhancing faculty and student engagement, and expanding the dual-degree framework.
On October 24, the delegation next visited the Graduate School of Agricultural Science at Tohoku University, where fruitful discussions were held on launching dual degree programs and establishing a joint research center. The two sides also expressed interest in establishing collaborations in forestry and food science, which had been earmarked as key areas for partnership.
Tohoku University demonstrated its sincere interest in formalizing cooperation with CBA-NTU by suggesting that the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) be prioritized-- to open the way for future faculty exchanges, student mobility, and international joint research initiatives.
During the visit, Dean Lin and his entourage of faculty members held warm and productive discussions with their Japanese counterparts, generating academic synergy and issuing in a shared commitment to advance agricultural science and sustainability. Both Hokkaido University and Tohoku University praised CBA-NTU’s achievements in bioresources, environmental research, and sustainable development, and expressed sincere interest in establishing long-term collaborations with CBA-NTU.
The visit succeeded in strengthening NTU’s academic network with Japan’s leading agricultural universities. It also elevated the College’s global presence and influence in the fields of agriculture, life science, and environmental sustainability, marking an important step forward in NTU’s mission to foster world-class partnerships in research and education.
Dean Yu-Pin Lin (left) and Dean Haruki Kitazawa (right), Graduate School of Agricultural Science at Tohoku University, exchanging gifts to commemorate the visit.
