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Better Services for International Students

During the past several years, the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) has dedicated significant resources for offering assistance to international students, such as encouraging exchanges with local students and providing counseling in English to help the international students adapt to life on NTU campus.

“A key element in college life is whether there are opportunities to make friends,” observed Prof. Shi-Wei Chu, Vice President for Student Affairs. Besides offering subsidies to help Taiwanese students interact with the international students, OSA actively provides assistance to the student clubs established by international students. For example, the Alumni Association of NTU, Malaysia has over 600 members who facilitate mutual support among students from abroad.

Additionally, the Center for Student Well-Being commenced services in 2021. Dedicated counselors have been made available at each college, to better serve each Department and Graduate Institute with unique environment and features. The Center provides preliminary counseling services. If the students need further assistance in academic or personal counseling, they will be referred to OSA or the Student Counseling Center.

“International students could experience considerable stress coming to Taiwan all by themselves.” Language can sometimes be a barrier that prevents international students from communicating their needs. However, Prof. Chu pointed out that all the dedicated counselors speak foreign languages so the international students can always have someone to talk to whenever the need arises, someone to help them adapt to life in Taiwan in timely fashion.

Collaborating with Student Organizations to Create a Support Network on Campus

Prof. Chu also hopes NTU students will think outside the box instead of constantly comparing themselves with other people. To this end, he encourages students to participate in extracurricular activities and build support networks, as well as spread positive energy. The Global Initiatives Symposium in Taiwan (GIS Taiwan) hosted by NTU students each year is a great example. It is an event at which students empower other students by sharing a global vision and increasing the willingness for social participation.

To effectively match university resources with actual student needs, OSA maintains close interactions with student organizations. In 2022, the NTU Student Association and the Student Assistance Division of OSA conducted a survey on the “Warmth of Department Buildings” to gain insight into how life on campus and learning spaces interact and support each other. In addition, the survey results provided by the Graduate Student Association on the labor conditions of graduate students on campus contributed to the salary increase of teaching assistants.

Prof. Chu observed that what the students remember most about their campus days in later life is the touching moments, and the main mission of OSA is helping them create and accumulate such great touching memories.