EMBA  FIN. Chiu, Shiu-Fen & Li, Ya-hui

Planned by President Zhou Xiao-Ling of NTU Finance Student Association and greatly supported by Curator Zhang Zi-Wei of Taiwan Stock Museum, the fortune-promising, first event organized by the Finance Student Association for the Year of Golden Monkey - Tour to Taiwan Stock Museum – has been held on Mar. 4 in soothingly fine weather. Some 80 NTU EMBA students have toured the Stock Museum to learn about the historic development of Taiwan Stock Market and economics.

A receiving tea party is prepared by the Museum staff as a treat for the students of the Tour, a gesture highly appreciated by the visiting students. During the tour, professional and young tour guide not only introduces to the visitors the history of global stock markets, but also, through the precious collections, literatures, and interactive multimedia of the Museum, faithfully presents the close relation between the correlated stock market and economic development. The Museum has the collections of the first stocks issued around the world, in China, and in Taiwan, from the East India Company (VOC), Kaipin Mining Bureau, and railway stock of Keeling Shiqiuling Tunnel. The Museum also keeps details accounts of the development of Taiwan Stocks, almost an almanac of Taiwan industry development history. Among the collections is the world’s first stock issued in 1602 by VOC, a Dutch company engaged in foreign trades, and traded at Amsterdam. Through special favor from the Amsterdam Exchange, TDCC is able to secure a replica of the said stock, that uses almost the identical paper as it was issued, to display at the Taiwan Stock Museum; a very precious piece.

As the tour guide ushers the students to pass through TDCC’s colorful glass installation strategically placed at a specific spot believed to attract great fortune and not accessible by the general public without arrangement, the students squeeze and crowd to set their feet at this blessed spot, as hilarious as kids. For the students, the tour at the Stock Museum, from the five areas of prologue, beginning, rising, changing, and evolving, seems like a time travel to the capital market and economic development history of Taiwan.

At the end of the tour Curator Zhang personally distributes souvenirs to the visiting students: a replica of stock certificate of (2.8 billion shares of) Chung Hua Telecom, at a par value of NT$ 281.4 billion, the most expensive one, single piece of stock certificate ever issued in the history of Taiwan, and a hand-crafted milk cow figurine that doubles as a piggy bank, symbolizing a bull market and growing fortune. In the mood of hard to depart, the students bade farewell. Thanks to NTU Finance Student Association and NTU EMBA Alumni Foundation for spending such great efforts in organizing this wonderful and bountiful event that brings together students who would otherwise so occupied with their business duties in various business. Dear fellow students, we shall soon meet again.