President Yao was invited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) to visit Africa from November 6th to 12th, 2 0 1 1 . Led by Ambassador Xu Mian-Sheng (徐勉生), who took office as Director-general of the Department of African Affairs at the end of this November, the delegation included eight representatives - Director-general of the Department of Technological & Vocational Education, Ministry of Education, Lee Yen-Yi (李彥儀), President of NTUT Leehter Yao (姚立德), President of National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST) Ku Yuan-Kuang (古源光), President of National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism (NKUHT) Yung Chi-Yeh (容繼業), President of Shih Chien University (USC) Michael J . K. Chen (陳振貴), Vice-President of Taipei Medical University (TMU) Su Qing-Hua (蘇慶華), Chief of the Second Section, Department of African Affairs, MOFA, Zhou Qi-Yu (周啟宇). During the visit in the Kingdom of Swaziland and the Republic of South Africa, the delegation forged a sister-school partnership and signed a memorandum of cooperation with Swaziland University and Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) to promote academic exchange between students and faculties.

On November 7th, the delegation arrived at the Kingdom of Swaziland, a diplomatic ally of Taiwan . In addition to visiting the ICU and dialysis center donated by Taiwan at RPM hospital, bio-technology park, Summerfield Botanical Garden, technical mission, traditional cultural market, Swaziland National Museum, Mantenga Cultural Village and watching performances, the delegation met with the Prime Minister of Swaziland, Minister of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation, Minister of Economic Planning & Development, Minister of Natural Resources & Energy, Minister of Education & Training, and Minister of Commerce, Industry & Trade.

Introduced by Director-general of the Department of African Affairs, MOFA, Samuel Chen (陳士良) this May, President Yao met with Minister of Natural Resources & Energy H .R.H Princess Tsandzile, Directorate of the Department of Energy, Ministry of Natural Resources & Energy, Mr. Henry Shongwe, and Directorate of the Department of Water Affairs, Ministry of Natural Resources & Energy, Mr. Obed M. Ngwenya from Swaziland. Our distinguished guests had visited the Department of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering and Mineral & Rock Exhibition Hall at NTUT. Therefore, during the visit in Swaziland this time, President Yao proposed "Mineral Educational Program" recruitment plan to address the demand of professionals suggested by the Minister of Natural Resources & Energy of Swaziland. The plan won the Minister's approval and the program will be enrolling Swazi students in 2012. In addition, MOFA has also invited Minister of Education & Training and Director-general of the Department of Training to visit Taiwan at the end of this year.

Following the visit in Swaziland, the delegation visited Ministry of International Relations & Cooperation in the Republic of South Africa on 11th and met with the Minister of International Relations & Cooperation, Minister of Higher Education and Training, and Director of International Cooperation Office in discussion of bilateral exchange of higher education and recruitment issues. In the afternoon, the delegation visited TUT to sign a memorandum of cooperation with the vicepresident Prins Nevhutalu and provided scholarship for TUT students to study in Taiwan. President Yao also promised that, if the faculty members of TUT come to Taiwan for advanced studies in Ph.D. programs, NTUT would offer additional quota for scholarship application. The delegation also visited the presidential hall Union Building and Voortrekker Monument, as scheduled by Taipei Liaison Office in the Republic of South Africa.

It is expected that, after President Yao's visit to the Kingdom of Swaziland and the Republic of South Africa this time, there will be more African students studying at NTUT and more opportunities for academic exchange and cooperation to come. Starting from the Gambia, NTUT will promote its international academic exchange to other African nations.