Feng Chia University Exchange Program

The Feng Chia University Exchange Program Collection contains the information and records associated with the Ohio University exchange program with Feng Chia University in Taiwan. Feng Chia is a private university on the outskirts of Taichung City near the west central coast of Taiwan. Ohio University began an official agreement for the inter-institutional cooperation with Feng Chia University on May 12, 1980. It was mainly organized by Hwa-Wei Lee, the Dean of Libraries at Ohio University. The main component of the collection is the correspondence between Ohio University and Feng Chia University. Additionally, the collection contains correspondence between Ohio University and its students and faculty. In the initial years of the exchange, only Taiwanese students were sent to Ohio University on the program, but starting in 1983, Ohio University began sending students to Feng Chia to teach English and learn Chinese. This program was only offered to Ohio University alumni, with preference given to graduate students who had TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) or TESL (Teaching English as Second Language) certification. Starting in the 1983-1984 academic year, 3-4 students were selected for the program in Taiwan. Eventually, the number increased from 3-4 students to 7-8 students, with the option for exceptional students to return to Feng Chia for a second, and sometimes third, year. When Feng Chia increased the number of exchange positions, Ohio University followed suit, and offered 7-8 tuition scholarships to Feng Chia University students. The records end in 1995 with the retirement of Feng Chia University's President Yang. The program is no longer facilitated at Ohio University or Feng Chia University. Approximately 75% of this collection is in English and 25% of this collection is in Chinese. Materials containing social security numbers and bank account or loan account numbers have been removed for privacy and security. Official transcripts and test score materials have also been removed for privacy and security. Paperwork related to other Ohio University exchange/study abroad programs-Chubu University and De la Salle University respectively-have been moved to their appropriate collections within the Ohio University Archives.