Higher Education SPROUT Project

I. Educational Innovation and Cross-Disciplinary Development: Realizing the Vision of Education

1. In the 2023 academic year, the document review process accounted for more than 30% across all departments, highlighting the emphasis on students' learning trajectories, diverse abilities, and personal characteristics.


2. Conducted employment trajectory and employer satisfaction surveys for bachelor’s graduates from 2020 to 2022. In 2023, employer satisfaction with graduates' job performance reached an impressive 90%, with an average score of 4.31.


3. The 2023 student learning adaptation survey indicated growth in satisfaction with learning resources and curriculum mastery from first-year students to seniors. Satisfaction with course arrangements improved from 3.64 in the first year to 3.75 in the fourth year.


4. Encouraged students to pursue minors, double majors, and interdisciplinary programs, with participation reaching 563 students.


5. The International Cultural Festival and multicultural experience activities were organized to enhance exchanges between domestic and international students. Promoted various collaborative projects with Vietnam, Thailand, and Japan, including the "Borderless Beach Cleanup Online Joint Environmental Cleanup Event," which connected 77 participants (Thailand: 8, Japan: 39, Taiwan: 32) and hosted an SDGs forum.

II.Deepening Sustainable Development Mission through Collaboration with Local Governments:

1. Signed a memorandum of understanding with the Chiayi County Government and Dapu Township Office. Focused on Dapu Township, the collaboration facilitated faculty-led courses in the area, offering classes on food safety, occupational safety, and management practices to enhance corporate systems and professional knowledge.


2. Advancing U-Start Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition: Supported three student teams participating in the U-Start Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. One of them received a first-phase subsidy of NT$500,000 from the Ministry of Education and an additional NT$500,000 as an Outstanding Team for Manufacturing Technology in the second phase, showcasing entrepreneurial excellence.


3. Creating Intergenerational Well-Being: Held nine life-story writing courses, serving over 500 seniors and producing personalized life-story books. Organized four interactive intergenerational learning sessions, including activities like language games, to stimulate cognitive engagement in older adults. 13 faculty and students led the activities, with 23 seniors participating. Outputs included a service manual on mental training for seniors and 10 AI-enhanced poetic works created by the elderly using text-cloud technology.


4. Supporting Rural Students’ Interest in Traditional Culture and Science: Guided indigenous students in rural areas to conduct science experiment projects and mentored Minhe Junior High School in Chiayi County, achieving exceptional results at the National Science Fair, including third place in the physics category and an honorable mention in the biology category.

III. Innovative Development in Agricultural and Science Education

1. Recognized Excellence in Undergraduate Research: In 2023, secured funding for 54 projects under the National Science Committee College Student Research Scholarship, ranking 10th among national public universities.


2. High Approval Rate for New Faculty Research Projects: Achieved a 73.7% approval rate for new faculty proposals under the National Science and Technology Council, reflecting active engagement in academic research.


3. Establishing Domestic and International Networks for Medicinal Herbs: Hosted the Traditional Chinese Medicine Industry Forum, attracting over 500 industry representatives from across Taiwan interested in developing the TCM sector. Additionally, welcomed Dr. Phan Thuy Hien, Deputy Director of Vietnam's National Institute of Medicinal Materials, along with several researchers, to exchange insights on research outcomes, effectively establishing a network for collaboration in medicinal herb cultivation.

IV. Diverse Admissions and Learning Support: Advancing Public Access to Higher Education

1. Hosting In-Person and Online Admissions Briefings: The 2023 academic year attracted 754 participants, enhancing high school student's understanding of their future learning pathways.


2. Organizing 59 "University Experience Days" and Department Admissions Activities: Focused on economically or culturally disadvantaged students to promote the goal of reducing social inequality (SDG 10).


3. Providing Comprehensive Academic Support for Economically Disadvantaged Students: In 2023, over 40% of students participating in academic tutoring programs showed significant improvement in their grades.


4. Conducting a Job Fair: Invited nearly 50 companies offering over 1,600 job opportunities, helping students transition smoothly into the workforce. Strengthened alum engagement, increasing alum donors from 49 to 209 in 2023, raising NT$10 million in donations.