Chang Jung Christian University (CJCU)’s sprout project aims to continually move forward with the mission of “Locally Engaged; Globally Connected, A Leading University with Social Responsibility” and to nurture students with cross-disciplinary expertise through quality faculties, diverse and innovative programs, and a comprehensive learning environment. The following are the results and highlights of the implementation of the four main sections.
1. Teaching Innovation Realization and Teaching Quality Improvement:
Through innovative and creative curriculum workshops and the establishment of specialized classrooms, CJCU actively enhances students' learning motivation and efficiency while encouraging participation in various competitions. For example, students from the School of Information and Design reached the first round of 2023 Vision Get Wild with three teams making it to the final round. And, the students won four Honorable Mentions and one Special Award in the Metaverse Vtuber design competition. Furthermore, students from the Department of Interaction Design earned the Second Place Award in the Interactive Sensor Technology category and the Special Award in Cross-Disciplinary Integration category at the 2023 National University Smart, Innovation and Cross-Disciplinary Integration Creative Competition. The students also won a silver medal award in the Coding 101 competition. On the faculty side, CJCU promotes teaching innovation and quality through the stimulations between teaching and learning studies, workshops, and the faculty communities. The School of Information and Design introduced STEAM education into practice courses, securing funding from the university's STEM and female R&D talent cultivation program. Additionally, three MOOCs courses developed by CJCU, were integrated into the non-formal education credits programs of the National Open University, and another 10 courses were integrated into the 2023 self-learning courses for high school students of National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University. To strengthen the international competitiveness of both students and faculty, the turtle conservation and education team made up of four international students won third place in the youth category at the 2023 The Ocean Challenge proposal. Furthermore, students from the Department of Applied Philosophy, in collaboration with the Taiwan Boardgame Design, showcased their self-designed board game, "Rebuilding LiouGuei," at the Essen Game Fair in Germany.
2.Social Responsibility Practice:
With the goal of achieving net-zero emissions, CJCU supports local communities through local participation and industry-academia collaboration, applying innovative approaches to achieve sustainable development, and fulfill the social responsibility of local care. For example, the 4th Asia Pacific Roots & Shoots Youth Summit, held in 2023, was titled "Nature Now: Youth-Driven Solutions for a Better World". Over 50 young representatives from 12 countries gathered at the summit to discuss key issues related to sustainable development and amplify the impact of youth. Moreover, with CJCU’s support, Orchid Botanical Garden in Tainan's Shanshang District received subsides of 400+ civic projects. The Garden has also obtained the management rights of Tainan Shan-Shang Garden and Old Waterworks Museum, transforming the site into an industry features marketing center and a dedicated venue for promoting food and agriculture education as well as environmental education.
3.Industry-Academia Collaboration and Connection:
CJCU connects with the university and local industry, collaborates with industry, introduces industry resources and aligns the curricula with industry needs to enhance practical learning and nurture future talents. Key achievements in 2023 include the signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with over 34 social enterprises and partner organizations to join the Social Enterprise Ark Alliance. Students from the Department of Tourism, Food and Beverage Management received an Honorable Mention of 12th Tourism Elite Cup Tour Itinerary Design Competition. Furthermore, students from the Department of Digital Media focused on youth industries in Liouguei, assisting five local businesses with corporate promotional design and successfully creating five IP characters for each business.
4. The Higher Education Commonality:
To improve university governance, CJCU has not only established The Institutional Affairs and Financial Information Disclosure Platform but also is committed to improve the effectiveness of school operation to receive international recognition. Notably, to increase brand awareness, CJCU was the only university in Taiwan to receive a 5-star rating from the QS Stars Rating in 2023. The university also ranked 801-1000 in the QS World University Rankings 2023 and received several prestigious honors, including the Silver Award for the National Enterprise Environmental Protection Award, the Role Model Award in the Global Views Monthly University Social Responsibility Awards, and the TCSA Taiwan Corporate Sustainability Award.