Taipei City University Scholars Give Lectures at Moscow City University’s International Education Symposium for the 2nd Consecutive Year
In mid-May, 2019, three scholars from the University of Taipei—Dr. Lai Chang-Chi and Dr. Tseng Wei-Chin, both associate professors in the Department of Exercise and Health Sciences, and Dr. Wu Shu-Min, Director of the Special Education Center—were invited to speak at Moscow City University’s second international education symposium on “Education and City: Participatory Practices”. This is the second time such an invitation has been extended.
The aim of this year’s symposium was to bring together international and Russian experts to share their ideas and practical experiences of the co-existence, co-evolution, and co-operation of cities and universities. The topics covered participatory design (i.e. design processes which proactively include the end-users) practices in a range of fields and at various levels: the participation of children, parents, and teachers in creating education programs; participation of children and parents in the design of education and play spaces; the participation of universities in city life (providing education programs, and undertaking research work for cities, designing urban spaces, and participating in creating city sociocultural environments); and the participation of city officials and city dwellers in determining universities’ education and scientific agendas.
The three scholars from Taiwan were among 74 scholars from 11 countries who were invited to share their expertise. Dr. Lai Chang-Chi and Dr. Tseng Wei-Chin gave presentations on “Blood Pressure Control in Elderly Subjects after a Community-Based Program” and on “The Impact of Cardiometabolic Health on Cognitive Function in Elderly Subjects after a Community-based Health Promotion Program and Physical Education", and Dr. Wu Shu-Min spoke about an action research project, creating and implementing a gamified classroom management program in an elementary gifted class. Each of these lectures received a warm response and prompted a range of questions from the audience.
Moscow City University and the University of Taipei were established by their respective city governments, and in May 2018, with the help of the Education Division of the Taipei-Moscow Economic and Cultural Coordination Commission (TMECCC), the two universities signed an MOU to enhance cooperation.
Moscow City University is one of three main normal universities in Russia and as well as preparing teachers for schools and universities, the university trains and educates professionals to work in a wide range of fields. The university is one of TMECCC’s closest partners in Moscow and it works with several Taiwanese universities conducting student and faculty exchange programs. Four teachers from Taiwan are now working there teaching Mandarin Chinese. The Education Division of TMECCC looks forward to widening the fields of academic cooperation between Moscow City University and academic and research institutions in Taiwan.