To enhance international visibility and deepen academic collaboration, the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at National Chung Cheng University (CCU) formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the School of Biological Sciences at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) on March 11, 2025. The signing ceremony and launch of the international collaborative course took place under the witness of Michael Wing-Yan Chan, Dean of the College of Science at CCU, and Dr. Yi-Ying Wen, Chair of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences. 

The MOU was officially signed by Associate Professor Liang-Chi Wang from CCU and Associate Professor Moriaki Yasuhara from HKU, initiating the international collaborative course. The course encompasses field core drilling, microfossil analysis, electron microscopy operation, and data analysis and culminates in a final project report. Through field research and professional discussions, faculty members and students from both universities can deepen their exchange and sharing of academic knowledge.

The University of Hong Kong ranks 17th in the QS World University Rankings, making it one of Asia's leading institutions. To provide students with opportunities to engage with world-class academic institutions, HKU fully subsidizes students participating in international courses every semester. The signing of this MOU and initiation of the collaborative course were facilitated by Associate Professor Yasuhara Moriaki from HKU, with a total of 12 faculty members and students participating. The establishment of this MOU and the launch of the international collaborative course open new possibilities for academic development and faculty-student exchanges.

The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at CCU actively expands international collaborations and has already signed MOUs with Kagawa University and Kanazawa University in Japan. In the future, CCU aims to strengthen international cooperation further, promote diversified research and academic exchange programs, and collaboratively build a close academic partnership.