The Ministry of Education-funded “Japanese Healing Landscape and Horticultural Therapy Internship Program,” led by Associate Professor Hsu Yi-Pei of the Department of Landscape Architecture at Chung Yuan Christian University, has taken students to Japan for overseas internships and teaching, enhancing students’ professional competence while promoting international academic exchange and nurturing professionals with international perspectives.
During the overseas internship, students focused on global green care trends, visiting the Awaji Landscape and Horticulture School at Hyogo Prefectural University to explore horticultural therapy theories, simulations, practical applications, site design, plant cultivation, and site maintenance management. Through lectures by leading international scholars in horticultural therapy, students observed space design and learned plant cultivation tailored to the specific needs of different users, such as the elderly, individuals with autism or depression, and wheelchair users.
During exchanges, Chung Yuan University students not only learned about patient assessment, treatment plan formulation, outcome recording, and analysis execution models but also, led and assisted by Japanese classmates, actively participated in the implementation of horticultural therapy. At the end of the internship, students presented their experiences and learning outcomes in English and Japanese, showcasing their collective efforts in horticultural therapy.
