On December 19^th (‘17) a graduation ceremony was held for the 35^th class of the NPUST Overseas Youth Vocational Training School. Coming from Malaysia and Indonesia, the 35 graduating students who took part in the program were trained in plant industry and quality tropical agriculture.

The ceremony was hosted by NPUST President Chang-Hsien Tai, who presented the students with certificates for the completion of the two-year training program. There were around 70 family members and friends who travelled to Taiwan to be present for the occasion and look on as faculty and students shared testimonies and offered their blessings to one another. A graduation exhibition of achievements was also set up at the university library & conference hall to display the students’ work.

The first overseas youth training program was offered by the school in 1963. Now entering its 36^th session, the two-year program has already trained 1700 overseas students – with the vast majority (1600) coming from Malaysia. The training school has provided courses in agro-industry operations, veterinary medicine, aquaculture, food processing, wood working, business administration, and vehicle engineering over the years. Past students who have graduated from the program have returned home and used what they had learnt to make contributions to local industry with such effectiveness that they have won the program favor among overseas Chinese communities.

The NPUST Overseas Youth Vocational Training School coordinates with the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) to equip overseas students with practical knowledge and skills which will help them to contribute to the development of agriculture, engineering and business sectors back home. NPUST has organized a series of curriculum which includes teachings on societal morals and ethics together with professionalism. Upon graduation students may return to their countries to take on the job market or opt for further studies at the university, applying the credits they have accumulated towards degrees in related fields.