Auburn University Study Abroad -- Taiwan Program 2009

I. INTRODUCTION

With the growing technologies in information, communication and transportation, the world is getting smaller. Cultures have become closer and more interactive. Understanding other cultures has become a must in life. As we live through this transition of the global setting, providing our students an opportunity to learn about the lifestyle and thought process of people from other lands would more adequately prepare them for their future career. It is even more critical for design students since design has become more and more cross-cultural.

Exposure to new cultures, experiences and communication challenges can be accomplished by providing opportunities for students to travel and live in other countries, learning design with students of that country.

II. PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM

Since students will spend time in the host school and actually deal with people daily in and outside the classroom, interaction will happen naturally. The ability to communicate is essential for design students. The exchange program will provide an environment for students to communicate with other students within their discipline but also with people from a different culture.

The program also provides a learning environment for students to understand design from a different perspective.

Because of the interactions among students of the visiting and the host school, both schools will gain mutual benefit from the program. Besides cultural exchange, students would stimulate one another in a constructive way. Positive competition between schools would help students be more serious about their profession.

III. CONTENTS OF THE PROGRAM

· The program is primarily joint with Shu-Te University’s Department of Product Design. We are having 11 students from Auburn in the program visiting Shu-Te University for around eight weeks and conduct classes using Shu-Te’s facility. Shu-Te University will provide around 30 to 40 Taiwan students to join our group to work on product design projects together. Each Auburn student will be assigned into a group of three to four Taiwan students so that students can learn from one another. We have high possibility to work on projects that is sponsored by industries in Taiwan.

· Students who take the Special Problems, students will need to find a topic to study concerning the education system in Taiwan or the culture. Along the study, there may be shop classes such as pottery design, jewelry design, and glass design supported by Shu-Te faculty for small project assignments.

· Within the seven weeks, we will visit several other universities in Taiwan with industrial design program. Students will be exposed to different settings of design curricula.

· We will have tour trips along the schedule including a 3 to 5 days visit of Hong Kong.