Do you know why National Chung Cheng University’s General Education Center can offer Indonesian language courses? Forty years ago, the course instructor, Prof. Victoria Rau, faculty member of the Institute of Linguistics and Dean of International Affairs at CCU, learned how to teach Austronesian languages from the master of Austronesian linguistics, Prof. John U. Wolff, during her doctoral studies at the Department of Linguistics at Cornell University. Recently, thanks to the Taiwan government’s New Southbound Policy, she also had the opportunity to compile a new Indonesian language textbook and produce Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) for the students at CCU!

As CCU celebrated its 35th anniversary, the Office of International Affairs and Cornell University jointly organized an online celebration for the 92nd birthday of Professor John U. Wolff from 7:00 to 8:00 on October 26th. Students who were mentored by the master gathered to talk about the impact their mentor had on their personal academic careers and offer him their blessings.

In addition to Prof. Victoria Rau, the presenters included: Associate Professor Frank Dhont from the Department of History, National Cheng Kung University, Prof. Edith Aldridge, from the Institute of Linguistics, Academia Sinica, Dr. Dédé Oetomo, an Indonesian political activist and independent scholar, Professor Ismet Fanany from Deakin University, Australia, Professor Amrih Widodo of the University of New South Wales in Australia, Professor Abigale C. Cohn and Assistant Professor Jennifer Kuo of the Department of Linguistics at Cornell University in the United States, and Brenda Yanni, the widow of Daniel Fietkiewicz, who co-authored Prof. Wolff’s authoritative Indonesian language textbook.

The innovative format of the one-hour online birthday party planned by the OIA of National Chung Cheng University not only brought great blessings to Professor John U. Wolff, but also great joy to Cornell University alumni and speakers from Taiwan, Indonesia, Australia and the United States. The international participants also witnessed the creativity displayed by National Chung Cheng University in celebrating its 35th anniversary.