The Center of International Indigenous Affairs （CIIA） affiliated with the College of Indigenous Studies （CIS） at National Dong Hwa University （NDHU） invited two Māori guests from New Zealand, Nepia Winiata, Executive Director of Education Delivery Services at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa （TWoA）, and Dr. Te Kani Kingi, Executive Director of Research and Innovation at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi （TWWoA）, to join a series of academic events for ’Austronesian Reconnection ： Taiwan-Aotearoa Indigenous Education Forum’ held from 12th to 15th December 2017. On Dec 13th, the first forum under the series hosted by Dr. Pasuya Poiconx （浦忠成）, Dean of CIS, invited faculty members and students across different disciplines to discuss bilateral projects between Taiwan and New Zealand. In the afternoon, Dr. Chin-Peng Chu （朱景鵬）, Vice President and Dean for Office of International Affairs at NDHU and the two wānanga executive directors met to confirm details of a forthcoming MoU and establishment of base office for collaborative operation. On Dec 15th, the second forum, hosted by Dr. Awi Mona（蔡志偉）, Director of Center for Indigenous Education and Research （CIER） at National Academy for Educational Research （NAER）, invited scholars and the general public to discuss transitional justice and reconciliation based on education driven by indigenous values.

The 1st Student Autonomous Group Learning Program, administered by the Center for Teaching Excellence, National Dong Hwa University, encourages students to learn and practice through multiple sources and channels outside regular courses. Sponsored by the Autonomous Learning Program, Guo, Yan-Jun from the Department of Sinophone Literatures and Xuan, Hao-Ping from the Department of Education and Human Potentials Development together with five more students started the ten-week intensive courses of Handwriting Practicing Program. The instructor, Lin, Guan-Jie, personally designed the courses and used his self-edited materials for instruction. Moreover, Professor Lee, Shew-Hua at the Department of Chinese and Chen, Tien-Chiu at the Department of Education and Human Potentials Development were invited as the course consultant.

The Center of International Indigenous Affairs（CIIA）held the ’Taiwan-Aotearoa Connection’ Workshop on Nov. 24th at the College of Indigenous Studies（CIS）, NDHU. The workshop, hosted by Professor Pasuya Poiconx（浦忠成）, Dean of CIS, was an occasion to showcase the fruitful results of the ’Taiwan-Aotearoa Connection： South-bound Indigenous Education’ project.

A team of the ’Taiwan-Aotearoa Connection’ project, organized by the Center for International Indigenous Affairs（CIIA）, National Dong Hwa University（NDHU, TAIWAN）, visited New Zealand from Oct. 27 - Nov. 7, 2017. This project is commissioned by the Ministry of Education under President Tsai’s ’New South-Bound’ policy to promote and deepen partnership between higher education institutes between Taiwan and New Zealand. Members of this team include faculty members, postdoctoral fellow, staff and PhD students of the College of Indigenous Studies（CIS）.