Source: The Office of Secretariat, National Chung Hsing University
Edited by Jen-Wen Chang, Office of International Affairs
          Jia-Yi Lin, Secretariat Office

Coordination, Enthusiasm, Innovation, and Action: these are the important core philosophies held by Professor Fuh-Jyh Jan, the 17th President of National Chung Hsing University (NCHU) since taking office. As an alumnus of NCHU for 37 years, a teacher with 23 years of service, and an administrator with 18 years of experience, President Jan carries a deep sense of gratitude for the fulfillment of his aspirations to shoulder the mission of upholding the century-old legacy of the university.

^{Fuh-Jyh Jan
President, National Chung Hsing University (2023-present)
Lifetime Distinguished Professor, Dept. of Plant Pathology}

President Jan’s approach to forming the administrative team is meritocratic, which is why the appointed top executives come from diverse colleges, spanning the humanities, agriculture, science, engineering, life sciences, veterinary medicine, management, and law and politics. He believes that advancing the university’s affairs requires the collaborative support of each college; therefore, he places a strong emphasis on coordination among internal units and leveraging the enthusiasm of faculty and staff. In the meantime, he recognizes that the university’s demonstrated strengths in agriculture, life sciences, and veterinary medicine can pave the way for the humanities and social sciences to develop their own unique niches as well. He encourages interdisciplinary collaboration among colleges to ignite new sparks of innovation. Under the professional guidance of President Jan, NCHU will continue toward becoming a world-class, top-tier international institution.

^{►Inauguration Ceremony 
Photo Credit: The Office of Secretariat, NCHU}

An Empathetic Ear: Creating a Friendly Campus
Being an empathetic listener is the first impression President Jan leaves on the faculty and students. Since assuming office, he has initiated open dialogues with the university's faculty, students, and staff, including conducting discussions with faculty members from various colleges, hosting the first-ever appointments with staff, and consistently holding appointments with students. He is also a strong advocate for faculty and staff welfare, leading him to implement legislation that allows teachers who are pregnant or have children under the age of two to request a reduction of 2 hours in their weekly teaching hours and secure government funding for the establishment of a daycare center for children aged 0-2. Additionally, he plans to reinstate the previously discontinued winter and summer vacations in 2024, aiming to provide a more supportive working environment for NCHU’s faculty and staff.

In terms of academics, President Jan encourages students to explore and take relevant courses if they do not have an interest in their major or a desired interdisciplinary specialty at the time of enrollment. NCHU is a comprehensive institution with a complete range of fields, providing optimal interdisciplinary learning resources for more flexibility and diversity. After taking office, President Jan asked all departments to relax graduation thresholds and the course accreditation criteria and process under the premise of maintaining educational quality. This approach allows students to choose double majors, minors, module curriculum for cross-disciplinary secondary specializations, cross-disciplinary micro-credit programs, and micro-courses based on their own interests. Meanwhile, the "Taiwan Comprehensive University System (TCUS)" and the “National University System of Taiwan” (NUST) jointly promote cross-university course selection, minors, and double majors. He hopes that every student can access the best learning resources and cultivate themselves into outstanding talents.

^{►President Jan and OIA welcome the delegation from Mapua University, the Philippines 
(Left to right: Dr. Ming-Chun Lu, Dr. Delia B. Senoro, President Dr. Dodjie S. Maestrecampo, President Fuh-Jyh Jan, Dr. Kai-Jung Chi and Dr. Edith Su)}

Innovative Service: Strengthening International Administrative Support
"Grounded in NCHU, eyes on the World” is the cornerstone of creating a friendly international environment at NCHU. President Jan has persistently promoted the construction of student dormitories, ensuring that international students have access to sufficient and high-quality accommodation. Efforts have also been made to enhance the international administrative support system. The bilingual information platform "ASK NCHU," developed by the Office of International Affairs (OIA), is now officially online. It provides international students and faculty with essential information and answers to their questions. A dedicated office has been initiated to offer one-stop services to assist international students and faculty in overcoming language barriers and information gaps. The comprehensive administrative support helps them acclimate to the environment and engage in their teaching, research, and studies seamlessly.

^{►Dr. Katharina Holzinger, President of the University of Konstanz, Germany,  and President Fuh-Jyh Jan}

Vision
In the future, National Chung Hsing University (NCHU) will not only persist in developing its Nantou Branch into a zero-carbon university town, but also transform the Fu-Xing Campus into a groundbreaking Smart Healthcare Hub. President Jan, with his unwavering commitment to the university's mission and pioneering leadership, strives to harness NCHU's academic research capabilities to propel local development and fulfill the university's social responsibility. He remains steadfast in the spirit of communication, empathy, and local prosperity, guiding NCHU towards the pinnacle of international excellence. 

^{►The inauguration ceremony of "Office of International Administrative Support (OIAS)."}