To strengthen students’ global mobility, NTU Beyond Borders supports overseas experiential learning opportunities. As part of this initiative, the NTU D-School promotes the “Exploratory Learning ⁺ SDGs” program, which encourages students to take the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a starting point. Through cross-border field exploration and collaboration, students come to understand global issues through different cultures and local experiences, broadening the range of perspectives they bring to problem-solving. The second cohort in 2026 received 73 proposals with 122 participants in total, and ultimately funded 5 proposals, sending 15 students overseas to begin their explorations.
Tianlin Kang, a student in the Department of Veterinary Medicine, began his exploration by examining the issue of “bird-window collisions” and considering how to prevent such injuries at their source, in addition to treating injured wildlife. He spent 12 days exploring Tokyo and Hokkaido, visiting companies, nonprofit organizations, and wildlife conservation institutions. His perspective, which had centered on clinical medicine, expanded to include environmental engineering, corporate ESG, and public education.
At the Institute for Raptor Biomedicine Japan (IRBJ), Kang was introduced to the concept of addressing wildlife injuries through environmental improvements. He observed how researchers not only treat injured raptors but also investigate environmental causes, such as electrocution and traffic collisions, to prevent future injuries through environmental improvements. He began by summoning the courage to speak with strangers in Japanese, went on to deliver a one-hour presentation entirely in Japanese, and even shared Taiwan’s wildlife issues in an unexpected NHK English interview. The experience helped him overcome language barriers and personal challenges, building confidence through cross-cultural exchange. Moving from “treating individuals” to thinking about “systemic solutions,” he hopes to bring his cross-disciplinary learning back to Taiwan and continue exploring more possibilities in wildlife conservation.
“Exploratory Learning ⁺ SDGs” aims to encourage students to go beyond simply bringing home experiences from abroad, transforming their observations and reflections into opportunities to rethink their own fields of study and the issues they seek to address. Students can turn international exploration into a starting point for future action by learning from different approaches and reflecting on how to respond to challenges in their own contexts.
Tianlin Kang learned how forensic veterinary medicine can be turned into accessible content for the general public through the manga The Last Case (最後的病例).
Tianlin Kang during his placement at the Institute for Raptor Biomedicine Japan (IRBJ) in Kushiro, Hokkaido.
Tianlin Kang exchanged ideas with the Association for Business Innovation in harmony with Nature and Community (ABINC), learning how companies promote environmental sustainability through ESG initiatives and biodiversity certification schemes.