Higher Education SPROUT Project

Achievements and Highlights of the 2024 Higher Education Sprout Project

Focus Area 1: "Advancing Teaching Innovation"

1. In the 2024 Times Higher Education Young University Rankings, TCU ranked 9th in Taiwan and 351-400 globally, reflecting its consistent improvement in competitive international metrics.


2. In 2024, 14 faculty members received funding from the Ministry of Education for the Teaching Practice Research Program.


3. Six faculty members completed the EMI Professional Development (EMI PD) program at National Cheng Kung University and earned certification.


4. The university achieved exceptional professional licensing exam pass rates in 2024, surpassing national averages:

• First Cohort of Family Nurse Practitioners (FNP): 19 students took the licensing exam, achieving a 53% pass rate, and ranking 3rd nationally.


• Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners (Category II): Achieved a 100% pass rate.

5. The project "Narratives Reign: The Changing Yet Unchanging Media Value in the AI Era" was funded in 2024 by the Youth Development Agency's Career Advancement Program under the Ministry of Education..


6. In 2024, TCU received NT$5.5 million in funding from the Ministry of Education for the project “Bilingual Education for Students in College (BEST)”.


7. The Department of Biomedical Science and Engineering received funding from the Ministry of Education for the 2nd Phase (2023–2027) of the Experimental and Constructive Project for New Engineering Education Methods.


8. The Short-Term Specialized Training Program under the African Elite Talent Development Initiative received funding from the Ministry of Education in 2024.


9. Professor Tzeng Guo-Fan, renowned for pioneering the Altruistic Silent Mentor teaching method in anatomy, was awarded the 2024 National Excellent Teacher Award by the Ministry of Education.


10. The Courses- "Blood Bank Science" and "The History of Biomolecular Research" received digital learning certification, and the "Transfusion Medicine" course earned an Excellence Award in the 2024 Taiwan Open Education Award.


11. The university became the first in Asia and Taiwan to achieve international wound care certification from the European Wound Management Association (EWMA) in 2024.


12. Student achievements in external competitions included:

• Medical students ranked 17th in the semifinals of the 20th International Medical Student Physiology Quiz (IMSPQ) in Indonesia (July 2024).


• The Master's programs in Family Nurse Practitioner won three "Shining Hill Awards" at the 2024 Ministry of Health and Welfare Student Community Achievements Sharing Event, highlighting excellence in FNP training.

Focus Area 2: "Fulfilling Social Responsibility"

1. The USR project "Taste of the Mountains and Seas: Tribal Revitalization through Sustainable Diets and Culture" won the 2024 Food Creation Award for Sustainable Innovation in the university category.


2. The USR project "Satoyama Solidarity Carbon Economy—Co-learning Practices for Sustainable Consumption and Production" received the 2024 Visionary USR Model Award in the Ecological Co-prosperity category.


3. The university-Hualien Galaxy sustainable development project won the Gold Award for Green Design at the 2024 Asia-Pacific Sustainability Expo.


4. The project "Green Proteins—Integrating Green Energy and Black Soldier Fly for Food Waste Reduction" received honorable mention in the 2024 Taiwan Sustainable Energy Creativity Contest.


5. Service-learning Projects earned recognition from the Ministry of Education:
   
   
   
   • At the inaugural Youth Volunteer Awards, the Tzu Chi University Rural Education Service-Learning Team was honored with the Outstanding Service Award for work in Jia-Ming Elementary and Jianqing Service Teams. Pajiq Hope Volunteer Team won the Commendation Award for the fourth consecutive year.
   
   
   • The Humanities Elderly Care Team and the Lego Education Volunteer Team received Awards in Education Volunteer Service, while 17 students were recognized with Youth Volunteer Awards, respectively making up over 50% of the national awardees.
   
   
   • Graduates from the Department of Human Development and Psychology and Nursing received awards for their mentorship in digital and university-based tutoring programs.
   
   
   • The Service learning Project of Rural Area- "Growing Together: Supporting Rural Areas" earned multiple awards, including honors for faculty advisors and service teams.
   
   
   • The university’s Medical Humanities Society received an Excellence Award for service clubs, while the Indigenous Club earned recognition in recreational club categories.
   
   
   
   

Focus Area 3: "Industry-Academia Collaboration"

1. The collaboration between TCU and Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital on innovative bioprinting technology won two gold medals, a special award, and a grand prize at the 2024 International Invention Exhibition.


2. Prof. Guo Han-Chung from the Institute of Medical Sciences has been recognized among the world’s top 2% of scientists for both lifetime and annual impact for three consecutive years (2022–2024), showcasing excellence in clinical practice, teaching, and research.


3. Faculty and student achievements included:
   
   
   
   • Winning gold at the 10th Korea WiC Invention Competition (2024).
   
   
   • Securing the Gold Award at the 4th Cross-Strait University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition (2024).
   
   
   • The SSOYA Daily Flavors Club team won the Highest Action Award in the 2024 Hualien Youth Industry Linkage Project Competition.
   
   
   • Earning gold at the 20th Ukraine International Invention Exhibition (2024).
   
   
   
   

Focus Area 4: "Enhancing Public Value in Higher Education"

1. Support for financially and culturally disadvantaged students has been expanded:
   
   
   
   
   • The number of beneficiaries increased from 210 in 2022 to 329 in 2023 and 718 in 2024, representing a 3.41-fold increase from 2022.
   
   
   • The dropout rate for financially and culturally disadvantaged students decreased from 2% in 2020 to 1.5% in 2023.
   
   
   
   


2. The support system of Internationalization:
   
   
   
   • According to the Institution Research and Analytics at TCU, the overall satisfaction of international students increased significantly from 3.48 in 2020 to 4.51 in 2023 on a 5-point scale, reflecting improved learning experiences and adaptability.