Nauru Member of Parliament, Asterio Appi, has been awarded the MOE Study in Taiwan “Global Outstanding International Alumni of Taiwan Award”.

MP Appi is an alumnus of the NPUST Department of Tropical Agriculture and International Cooperation. After graduating from NPUST in 2011, he returned to his native Nauru and began working for his country in a variety of government positions. In 2016, Appi was elected to serve on the country’s parliament where he currently serves as deputy speaker.

On October 25^th, Appi was invited back to his Alma Mater to give a talk at the International College and share on his valuable experiences. MP Appi reflected on his time as a student at the university and emphasized the importance of establishing goals and having the courage to pursue them. “That is the only way”, he says, “to open up the future to endless possibility”. When Appi first arrived at NPUST, he explained that “language differences presented the main obstacle, as it was difficult to communicate with classmates – however, staff at the university were very friendly and always willing to help find solutions to the problems that international students often encounter. I believe it is really important to keep good relationships with my teachers and my international classmates from Taiwan”.

Appi also shared on his career development in the government sector, explaining that after obtaining his master’s degree he set up a five-year plan to pursue a political career. From his observations, “the government in Nauru needed new blood”. His passion and potential caught the attention of members of the community and opened the door for his political development.

Appi encouraged students and explained to them that “when learning, the most important thing is to be persistent. When encountering problems, you need to find a path to resolution to ensure the possibility of success. By fostering independent thinking and problem solving capabilities, people will be equipped to plan their careers according to their interests”.

Dr. Ta-chih Cheng, the director of the Department of International Cooperation and International Cooperation, said that “in class, Asterio was always eager to ask questions and he enjoyed interacting with his teachers. This left a deep impression on me. Since the courses at the department are interdisciplinary in nature, covering agriculture, forestry, fisheries, agriculture machinery, animal science, food science and business administration, Appi was provided with comprehensive training. When he returned to his country he had the versatility to develop himself successfully in the work place. He has held a number of high level positions in his country and his accomplishments make him a role model for the international students currently enrolled at the university. They should be encouraged to take advantage of the resources and education provided during their studies at the department and enrich themselves through learning so that when they return home they will be able to make contributions to their countries”.

The “Global Outstanding International Alumni of Taiwan Award” is presented to Taiwan’s international alumni whose successes have helped bring attention to Taiwan on the world stage and who have promoted close relationships with the country, maintaining positive interaction and encouraging international students to learn from their examples. Any international student who has studied in Taiwan and gone on to see outstanding success in academics, business, government or humanities is eligible for recommendation. MP Appi, who has been considerably successful in his country’s political sphere, received the award which was presented in Taipei on October 26^th.

The NPUST International College has been recruiting students since 1998. To date there have already been 400 students who have received diplomas from the college and returned home to make contributions to their native countries. Some examples include a Solomon Islands member of parliament, government officials in many countries, a representative of the FAO, experts at the World Food Program, professors, and entrepreneurs – each of whom are spreading the international reputation of NPUST.