On March 7th, following the visit of National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) President Wu Cheng-Chih and his delegation to Kyushu University in Japan last January, the sisterhood relationship between the two universities continues to deepen as they signed a Master's Double Degree Agreement. The agreement enables NTNU's Master's program students from the College of Science and College of Technology and Engineering to apply to study in Kyushu University for one semester (about 5 months), taking interdisciplinary science and engineering courses worth 20 credits. Upon completion of the NTNU Master's program, thesis students will be granted both universities' Master's degrees. The program is expected to offer 5 positions annually.

The signing ceremony was held in NTNU, attended by representatives from both universities including Kyushu University's Dean of Institute of Innovation in Technology and Science, Hideharu Nakashima, NTNU's Dean of College of Science, Chen Jein-Shan, and Dean of College of Technology and Engineering, Cheng Ching-Min. The ceremony was hosted by Professor Liu Hsiang-Lin from the Department of Physics, with attendees from NTNU including Vice Dean of College of Science, Fu Tsu-Yi, Chair of the Department of Physics, Lin Wen-Chin, Vice Chair of the Department of Chemistry, Wu Hsueh-Liang, Professor of the Department of Fine Arts, Lin Cheng-Huang, Associate Professor of the Department of Earth Sciences, Yeh En-Chao, Vice Deans of College of Technology and Engineering, and Lin Kuen-Yi, Chair of the Department of Mechanical and Electro-Mechanical Engineering, Shun-Tong Chen, and Director of the Bachelor Program in Vehicle and Energy Engineering, Hong Yi-Xuan. 40 students were also present.

Liu Yi-de, Vice President for International Affairs of International Affairs says that the dual degree agreement provides students with more opportunities for exchange. It also aims to promote cross-border research cooperation between faculty and students, facilitate laboratory exchanges, encourage international and inter-school collaboration among teaching and research staff, establish cross-border research and industry-academia cooperation programs between the two universities.

After the meeting, the College of Engineering also arranged for the Japanese delegation to visit the Department of Mechatronic Engineering, the Automotive Engineering Program, and the Department of Electrical Engineering. The group first visited the clean room and microfabrication laboratory of the Department of Mechatronic Engineering. Then, Professor Hung Yi-Hsuan of the Automotive Engineering Program led the Kyushu University faculty to visit the electric car factory and automation robot laboratory, sharing their research achievements in precision mechanical manufacturing. Finally, Director Tsai Jeng-Han of the Department of Electrical Engineering explained the display of robot-related research to the guests.

Kyushu University is a top research-oriented national university in Japan, excelling in the fields of science and engineering. It is also the strategic partner sister school of National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU). The exchange between NTNU and Kyushu University began in 2015. The signing of the Master's Double Degree Agreement marks a new milestone in the relationship between the two schools and enhances the diversity of research exchange between them. In the second half of 2023, NTNU plans to hold a cross-college forum with Kyushu University to facilitate the linkage of international education between departments and enhance students' global perspectives. Both schools also expect to continue mutual visits in the future and engage in exchange and academic cooperation in administrative benchmarks, bilateral academic forums, joint research projects, student exchange programs, and cross-border online collaborative teaching (I-COIL courses). During the visit to NTNU, President Hideharu Nakashima of Kyushu University took some time to play tennis with President Wu of NTNU on the tennis court. The two had previously met and exchanged views during President Wu's visit to Kyushu University with a delegation in January. This time, a friendly tennis match further strengthened their relationship.