SJC Partners With Tzu Chi University in Taiwan

July 10, 2017

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – July 10, 2017 – St. Joseph’s College (SJC) is pleased to announce that it has recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Tzu Chi University (TCU) in Hualien, Taiwan to provide for the exchange of students and faculty over the next two years between the two institutions. As part of this agreement, 20 SJC students from both SJC Brooklyn and SJC Long Island will study at Tzu Chi’s campus in Hualien, Taiwan this summer.

“To succeed in today's globalized world, it is essential to be familiar with other cultures and ways of life,” said Barbara Garii, Ph.D., executive dean for SJC Brooklyn. “Our partnership with Tzu Chi University in Taiwan affords us exactly this opportunity. By enabling the College to have its first large-scale exchange program to study in Asia at a mission-driven institution similar to SJC, we also provide our students with an immersive experience in Chinese culture, language and Buddhist spirituality.”

This is the latest step in the ongoing partnership between SJC and the Tzu Chi organization. For the past three years, SJC and the Tzu Chi Foundation in New York City have collaborated to provide English-language support to Sino-speaking students taking the SATs in Queens, Manhattan and Brooklyn. To cement this agreement, SJC administrators flew to Taiwan to sign the agreement at TCU and presented talks on the future of higher education and higher education marketing to TCU faculty and leadership.

"TCU and SJC have the same vision for educating the next generation of global citizens. We both emphasize the spirit of humanity, giving and compassion, and incorporate these values into our curriculums to cultivate professionals with sympathetic and open minds,” said Ingrid Liu, PhD., professor and provost for Tzu Chi University. “Through this interaction, students from both of our schools will learn to value and respect the differences between people from distinct cultures. Only when we learn not to focus on differences and work towards building consensus can we expect to build a more harmonious and peaceful world.”

Students participating in the program will learn the basic tenets of the Chinese language, Eastern psychology, Chinese culture and Buddhism. They will reside on the TCU campus and have the opportunity to go on several day trips throughout Taiwan, as well as participate in hikes and kayaking trips around Hualien.

In the summer of 2018, students from TCU will visit SJC Brooklyn and take courses in English, history and sociology with an emphasis on the role of New York City in these disciplines. Along with this, both institutions are exploring the possibility of faculty exchanges and guest lectures with the aim of exposing both of their communities to the mutual richness of their cultures and missions.

“As our students are learning about Chinese and Taiwanese culture, we look forward to providing the students from Tzu Chi with a similar experience next year, showcasing the best of American culture through the distinct experience that is New York City," said Dr. Garii.

For more information, contact Michael Banach at 718.940.5584 or [email protected].

ABOUT TZU CHI UNIVERSITY
Tzu Chi’s campus is among the most beautiful in Taiwan; it sits in the heart of Hualien, a beautiful metropolitan city, rich in cultural diversity. With a spacious campus filled with green areas, Tzu Chi University provides well-equipped teaching facilities and a comfortable, graceful living environment. We sponsor various student associations and provide a wonderful research atmosphere. Our goal is to prepare professionals who are committed to lifelong learning, analytical and critical thinking, and working with others; moreover, prepare those who embrace the spirit of Tzu Chi Humanities and are willing to tend to those in need.

ABOUT ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE
St. Joseph’s College has been dedicated to providing a diverse population of students in the New York metropolitan area with an affordable education rooted in the liberal arts tradition since 1916. Independent and coeducational, the College provides a strong academic and value-oriented education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, aiming to prepare each student for a life characterized by integrity, intellectual and spiritual values, social responsibility and service. Through SJC Brooklyn, SJC Long Island and SJC Online, the College offers degrees in more than 50 majors, special course offerings and certificates, affiliated and pre-professional programs.