Project Assistant：CHANG, YAN-LING

　　On March 10, Wakasa High School of Fukui Prefecture, Japan, and De La Salle Lipa (DLSL) of the Philippines visited National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU) for the 2026 International High School Marine Education Exchange Exhibition. Organized by the Taiwan Marine Education Center (TMEC), the event brought together nearly 150 teachers and students from Nuannuan Senior High School, Keelung Senior High School, and Anle Senior High School in Taiwan. Students presented and discussed their marine-related projects in English through poster presentations, while Ms. Li-Shu Chen, Director of the Research and Collection Division at the National Museum of Marine Science and Technology, and Dr. Sheng-Wen Tseng, Vice President for Research and Development at NTOU, served as expert reviewers and provided constructive feedback.

　　After the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the TMEC and Wakasa High School in 2022, the two institutions established a strong partnership, with Wakasa High School visiting NTOU in both 2024 and 2025. This year, with the support of TMEC Director Chin-Kuo Wu, the exchange was expanded to include DLSL, Wakasa High School’s sister school in the Philippines, transforming the event into a trilateral exchange between Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines. This exchange enabled the participants not only to share marine topics of mutual concern but also to demonstrate their shared passion for the ocean.

　　During the poster presentation session, students from Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines engaged in discussions on several topics, including local ecological surveys, marine food product development, marine by-product research, and waste reutilization. Expert reviewers commended the students for the quality of their presentations and offered constructive feedback. This cross-cultural marine education exchange not only strengthened the longstanding partnership between Taiwan and Japan but also fostered meaningful collaboration with the Philippines. The TMEC looks forward to creating future opportunities for cooperation among the three countries.