Highlights and Achievements of the 2023-2024 Higher Education Sprout Project at National Dong Hwa University
With the core philosophy of “30 Years of Excellence: Dong Hwa with AI”, National Dong Hwa University is committed to implementing educational actions aligned with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) sustainability, while deepening cross-disciplinary collaboration. The key achievements in 2023 include:
Main Goals and Highlights
Teaching Innovation and Advancement
- Cross-disciplinary AI Application Micro-programs: Established seven micro-programs covering smart technology, humanities and social sciences, and environmental science, integrating theory and practice to enhance students’ AI capabilities.
- Outstanding MOOCs Courses: Awarded the 2023 Taiwan Open Education Excellence Award - MOOCs and Micro-credit Course Excellence and the Outstanding Indigenous Open Education Course Demonstration Award.
- MOE TEACHING PRACTICE RESEARCH PROGRAM: In 2023, 26 faculty members were approved under this program, showcasing significant achievements.
- Record Enrollment of International Students: The fall 2023 semester saw a total of 1,054 international students enrolled.
Upholding Social Responsibility
- Campus Sustainability Development: Received the Taiwan Sustainable University Excellence Award and the Gold Sustainability Report Award 2022.
- Outdoor Education Certification: Accredited by the Ministry of Education's Sports Administration as a certified provider for mountain area guiding (mountaineering category) in 2023.
- Indigenous Cultural Preservation: Organized 34 indigenous language courses and collaborated with six indigenous communities for cultural transmission and co-learning initiatives.
- Student Local Practices: Three student teams were awarded funding under the 2023 Hualien Youth Dreamers program.
Industry-Academia Collaboration
- Green and Sustainable Chemistry Courses: The Department of Chemistry introduced graduate-level courses on pesticide analysis during the fall 2023 semester.
- Biomass Energy Applications: The Energy Technology Center advanced modular gasification furnace technology, processing approximately 500 kilograms of agricultural waste in 2023 for renewable fuel applications.
- Preserving Traditional Hakka Crafts through Technology: Collaborated with the Beilin Three Villages Community Development Association in Fenglin Town, Hualien County, incorporating multimedia sensory games in traditional Hakka weaving and dyeing courses to enhance cultural learning for elementary school students.
Enhancing Public Accessibility of Higher Education
- Diverse Learning and Career Guidance Programs: Hosted various pre-employment training, language enhancement, computer literacy courses, and career counseling activities in 2023, benefiting 805 participants. Examples include Takeoff Team Training and TOEIC Reading Workshop.
- Functional Student Teams Training: Inspired by the concept of "campus as a practical field," provided hands-on internship-like experiences on campus, such as organizing new student orientation activities.