2026-03-30

On March 30, National University of Kaohsiung (NUK) President Chen Chi-Jen signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Kaohsiung Museum of History Director Li Wen-Huan to jointly promote the development of “Kaohsiung Studies.” By integrating academic research, educational spaces, and cultural resources, both institutions aim to create an interdisciplinary platform that connects education, culture, and urban memory.

President Chen emphasized that the signing ceremony is only the beginning, and that meaningful long-term collaboration will be the true measure of success. He noted that amid rapid industrial transformation, NUK continues to promote practical talent development while also emphasizing a balance between technology and the humanities. Through general education, interdisciplinary courses, and University Social Responsibility (USR) initiatives, the university seeks to strengthen students’ humanistic literacy and local engagement.

He further explained that as northern Kaohsiung undergoes rapid industrial development and demographic shifts, local culture and knowledge face the risk of being overshadowed. As a result, the processes of documenting, interpreting, and preserving local culture have become increasingly important. He described Kaohsiung Museum of History as a critical piece of the city’s cultural infrastructure and expressed hopes for deeper long-term collaboration.

Director Li stated that the museum and NUK have already built a strong foundation of interaction over the years and praised the university’s efforts in field-based education and student engagement with local communities. He noted that museums are evolving beyond traditional functions of preservation and exhibition into public platforms focused on resource sharing and collaborative creation.

Through this partnership, the museum plans to provide exhibition spaces, archival collections, and research resources while working with NUK to develop innovative outcomes. Student projects may also have opportunities to be publicly exhibited, archived, and transformed into lasting cultural assets.

Director Li also highlighted the museum’s significance as a historical site connected to the February 28 Incident and noted its connections to important human rights locations such as the former residence of Ke Chi-Hua. These spaces provide unique opportunities for human rights education.

Using examples such as exhibitions in Yancheng District and the “Discover Kaohsiung” exhibition series, Li explained how the museum continues to engage directly with communities and reinterpret urban history. He emphasized that “a museum should belong to everyone” and expressed hopes that this partnership will strengthen public participation in cultural preservation.

NUK Executive Vice President Wu Hsing-Hao described the MOU as the starting point for diverse future collaborations. He noted that the partnership could support education related to human rights, transitional justice, and public policy discussions, while also leveraging international human rights networks and academic partnerships to bring global perspectives into students’ learning experiences.

Future collaboration between NUK and Kaohsiung Museum of History will focus on three major areas:

• Shared Academic Resources: Promoting research related to Kaohsiung Studies and expanding access to local historical archives
• Classrooms Beyond Campus: Strengthening field-based learning by turning the city into an educational space
• Local Publishing Initiatives: Supporting exhibitions, archives, and publications that transform student work and research into publicly accessible cultural resources

Through this partnership, NUK aims to deepen connections between higher education and local culture while expanding the public impact of Kaohsiung’s historical narratives.

#SDG4 #SDG11 #SDG16 #SDG17