The Department of Architecture at Ming Chuan University has expanded its overseas internship program to Singapore for the first time. Led by Professor Chih-Yu Lee, Associate Dean of the College of Design, the program has promoted internships in Japan through Taiwan’s Ministry of Education Study Abroad Dream Program since 2018. This year, with support from the New Southbound Study Abroad Dream Program, the department established its first internship placement in Singapore.
During the summer, third-year architecture student Yen-Hung Huang completed a professional internship at Takenaka Singapore Pte Ltd, the Singapore branch of Takenaka Corporation, one of Japan’s oldest and most renowned construction companies.
For the past eight years, Ming Chuan University’s Department of Architecture has built strong partnerships with the architectural industry in Japan through overseas internships. The expansion to Singapore provides students with opportunities to learn within an international professional environment, gaining firsthand experience in architectural design, engineering practice, and workplace culture while developing cross-cultural communication and professional skills.
The department’s overseas learning initiative has also created pathways to international careers. Last year, alumna Yueh-Yu Chen participated in an overseas placement at Sunray Woodcraft Construction Pte Ltd in Singapore. After graduation this year, she successfully joined the company as a full-time employee, demonstrating how international internship experiences can lead to global employment opportunities.
Professor Chih-Yu Lee noted that architectural education requires not only a solid academic foundation but also international professional experience to broaden students’ perspectives. The department will continue strengthening collaborations with the architectural industry in Japan, Singapore, and other countries, creating more opportunities for students to study and intern abroad.
Photo Caption: Yen-Hung Huang (left) completed his internship at Takenaka Singapore Pte Ltd, the Singapore branch of Takenaka Corporation, a construction company with more than 400 years of history, and is pictured with branch director Tzu-Ho Chang.