I-SHOU UNIVERSITY

When the airport announcement echoes with the “Final Call,” it signifies the departure of the next journey and represents the unfolding of a new future. The graduands of the Program in International Media and Entertainment Management (IMEM) under the International College chose “Final Call” as the theme for their graduation exhibition, transforming their four-year learning journey into a cross-cultural exhibition that blends creativity, storytelling, and interactive experiences, while demonstrating the international students’ abundant creative energy and interdisciplinary integration capabilities.

In addition to being showcased on campus, “Final Call” made its way to Kaohsiung’s annual design mega-event, the “2026 Youth Innovative Design Festival,” held at the Pier-2 Art Center. In its exhibition debut, the showcase took home the Award of Excellence in the Curatorial Practice and Exhibition Design category, demonstrating the students’ brilliant achievements in curatorial planning, spatial narrative, and interactive design. Breaking away from traditional static displays, the exhibition revolved around the core concept of an “airport departure” to create an immersive experience. Upon entry, visitors received an exclusive passport and boarding pass, officially embarking on their journey after passing through a symbolic security check. The exhibition layout seamlessly linked nine sets of works based on airport passenger flow, while featuring a screening room that broadcast the students’ original short films and music videos. Visitors could collect exclusive stamps across different exhibition zones, just like travelers leaving footprints around the world. Completing the stamp collection allowed them to redeem unique souvenirs from various countries, adding interactive fun and enhancing the cultural exchange experience. Throughout the event, many visitors expressed that interacting with students from different nations was their most profound memory of the exhibition. The students proactively introduced their work and shared their cultural backgrounds and creative philosophies, displaying great enthusiasm and confidence throughout these intensive interactions. Some students also shared that, through the constant communication and guided tours during the four-day exhibition, their Chinese-speaking skills improved significantly, becoming one of the key highlights praised by the judges.

The exhibition featured nine works, guided and completed under the joint mentorship of IMEM Chair Dr. Grace Ho and faculty members Dr. Jenny Lu, Dr. Shih-Jaey Tseng, and Dr. Ching-Yi Tien. Through various media, including film, installation art, painting, photography, music, and mixed media, the students demonstrated their rich cultural perspectives and storytelling prowess. The participating students hailed from a diverse range of nations, including Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Canada, Malaysia, Kyrgyzstan, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, fully embodying the cultural exchange and multifaceted creativity nurtured within an international learning environment. The works encompass emotional, interpersonal, social, and cultural themes. Among them, Lost & Found, Endlessly depicts the emotional journey of facing loss and personal growth. At the same time, SINE – E = sin explores the patterns of human connection in the technological era. Palette Garden combines painting with craftsmanship to present cultural identity and emotional expression. Little Lying Eyes reflects how people seek solace through lies under the weight of reality, and Checkmate tells the story of a protagonist torn between the “good child” persona and their own life choices. Additionally, Light Ahead focuses on a human story intertwined with dreams, career promotion, and guilt, whereas The Message utilizes a mysterious text to spark suspicion and a crisis among friends. Finally, Ride Away, Stay Close uses an original music video to trace the psychological journey of solo cycling, and FÊTE explores cultural diversity and self-identity through fruit imagery and magazine photography.

Dr. Grace Ho stated that winning the Award of Excellence at the Youth Innovative Design Festival for “Final Call’s” debut is not only a validation of the students’ creative achievements but also a brilliant display of the international students’ creative ideation, execution capabilities, and teamwork. She pointed out that from theme conceptualization and curatorial planning to on-site execution, the majority of the work was completed independently by the students, with faculty providing direction and support from the sidelines. What proved most moving was not merely the award itself, but the way the students successfully translated their unique cultural backgrounds and creative concepts into a cohesive and impactful viewing experience, demonstrating immense dedication and personal growth throughout the process.

ISU has long been deeply committed to international education. The university currently hosts approximately 1,500 international students on campus and has established collaborative partnerships with nearly 500 universities worldwide. It continuously fosters a multicultural and interdisciplinary learning environment while actively promoting international exchanges and transnational research to broaden students’ global horizons. Notably, ISU ranked within the top 8.3% globally in the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) 2025, demonstrating its robust educational capabilities and international competitiveness. As it continues its steady progress toward becoming a premier internationalized university, ISU empowers students to start their journeys from its campus and seamlessly connect with the world.