A team of faculty and students from the Department of Physical Education, National University of Tainan (NUTN), recently visited Australia for a twelve-day sports teaching and academic exchange program, funded by the Ministry of Education. The trip, which took place from February 4 to 15, was aligned with Taiwan's New Southbound Policy and focused on gaining deeper insights into Australian sports education and research methods, while also fostering long-term collaboration in sports culture and education.
During the exchange, the NUTN team visited the Australian Chinese Youth United Association Dragon and Lion Dance Troupe. Through sharing experiences and ideas related to lion dancing, they gained insight into the troupe’s development in the local context, highlighting the diverse forms of interaction in sports and cultural exchange. Additionally, the team engaged in discussions with the Australian College of Professional Coaching (ACPC) to establish solid networks and create opportunities for future cooperation in sports education, professional development, and faculty/student exchanges.
Since its establishment in 1992, Department of Physical Education has been committed to preserving and promoting Chinese folk sports culture. Over the years, the department has trained students in a wide range of skills, including dragon and lion dance, drum formations, lion dances, diabolo, and martial arts. As part of the exchange, the NUTN team presented lion dance equipment to their Australian partners, with the aim of promoting the inheritance and development of this tradition in Australia, while raising international awareness of NUTN’s efforts and achievements in sports and cultural exchanges.
This academic and cultural exchange not only strengthened ties between NUTN and international organizations, but also laid the groundwork for future training programs and cultural exchange activities, including sending Taiwanese schools to Australia for on-site training and participation in key team competitions. Department of Physical Education, NUTN will continue to nurture outstanding sports education talent, expand international perspectives, and promote academic cooperation and cultural exchanges to support the implementation of Taiwan's sports policies and the continued development of folk sports heritage.
