TNUA and the Okinawa Prefectural University of the
Arts (OPUA) signed an agreement to forge sisterhood
ties on May 6, with both sides looking to cooperation
on exchanging teachers and students, arranging
exhibitions and performances, and running other programs.
TNUA President Prof. Ju, Tzong-Ching pointed out
that the two universities have had many interactions since
1996 when the School of Fine Arts started an exchange
program with OPUA. In February this year, a delegation
from the Department of Traditional Music visited the
Okinawa university and held a concert there.
Relationship between the two schools entered a new
phase as OPUA’s president, Prof. Tsuguo Sakumoto,
came to TNUA to sign the sisterhood agreement, Prof. Ju
remarked. He noted the participation by OPUA teachers
and students in the “2011 International Forum for
Art Education in Asia” (2011 FAEA) hosted by TNUA’s
School of Fine Arts on May 5, and in the “Haiku-Sculpture
2011” exhibition which opened at the Kuandu Museum
of Fine Arts (KdMoFA) on May 6 – which kick-started
the sisterhood ties between the two sides.
Prof. Tsuguo remarked that Taipei and Okinawa are
geographically very close, and the two universities have a
lot in common, as they have similar artistic languages and
they are both young. Both are alike in terms of the faculties
and expertise they offer. The OPUA president looks
forward to close cooperation with TNUA in the future.
Besides Prof. Ju and Prof. Tsuguo, other school officials
also attended the agreement signing. TNUA officials included:
Prof. Hwei-Jin Liu, dean of the School of Music;
Prof. Shien-Ta Su, chairman of the Department of Music;
and Prof. Hsi-Chuan Liu, chairman of the Department
of Fine Arts. OPUA officials included: Prof. Atsumi
Kaneshiro, Prof. Hideharu Umeda and Prof. Mustuji
Tanaka.
The OPUA delegation was also shown around the
campus, visiting the School of Fine Arts, the Center for
Art and Technology, the KdMoFA, the facilities of the
Performing Arts Center, the KD Arts Gallery Shop. They
also listened to a rehearsal for a concert by music students.