YZU 2025 Project Achievements and Highlights
Overall Institutional Performance
- World University Rankings: 2026 THE ranked 601-800; 2026 QS ranked 1156.
- Asia University Rankings: 2025 THE ranked 229; 2026 QS ranked 236.
- Sustainability Rankings: THE University Impact Rankings 2025 ranked 301-400, improving one tier annually (200 positions); QS World Sustainability Rankings 2026 ranked 701.
- Awarded QS 2025 Asia Pacific Internationalization Performance Improvement Award, one of only three universities in Asia and the sole recipient in Taiwan.
Teaching Innovation and Advancement
- Subproject M1: Information Technology
- Curriculum Design to Deepen IT Concepts
- Promote integration of three major cloud platforms into courses across colleges, emphasizing both theory and practice. Students applied knowledge in real-world projects and were encouraged to participate in competitions showcasing cross-disciplinary integration and innovative applications.
- Since Spring 2024, freshman programming courses officially incorporated AI and quantum concepts, with elective courses on Quantum AI fundamentals introduced progressively. These were integrated with TSMC Semiconductor Component Program, enabling students to learn applications combining quantum and AI from entry-level to advanced.
- Over the past three years, 5,592 students enrolled in cloud-related courses and earned 811 international certifications, including 6 Microsoft Intermediate Certifications and 4 AWS Associate Certifications, strengthening future employability.
- Activities to Enhance Digital Literacy
- Microsoft Educator Program: 2025 GiCS 5th Girls in CyberSecurity Competition-Second Place in Creative Idea and Honorable Mention; 2025 Technology & Care: AI & STEM Smart Care Innovation Competition-Women’s Elite Award and Honorable Mention.
- Google Talent Incubator Program: 2025 Taiwan Materials Science Microstructure Imaging Aesthetics Competition-Gold Award and Honorable Mention.
- AWS Cloud Innovation Academy Program: 2025 International Intelligent Robosports Cup-Honorable Mention.
- Subproject M2: Humanistic Care
- Promoting Interdisciplinary AI and Literacy Courses
- “Digital Humanities Applications” mandatory course, enrolled 255 students in Fall 2025. Hosted Digital Humanities Applications Competition in 2024-2025 to foster understanding of generative AI and creative transformation. In Spring 2024, 35 teams (237 students) participated; 11 teams (77 students) won awards.
- Building Cross-College Programs and Narrative Platforms
- Launched “Social Data Analysis” micro-program to strengthen data analytics and workplace competitiveness; 18 students enrolled in Fall 2025.
- Faculty and teaching assistants from the General Education Division provided diagnostic coaching in narrative writing, project planning, public speaking, and presentation skills. In Spring 2024, 12 projects were completed, with students presenting their work and receiving expert feedback from Chinese literature faculty. This initiative enhanced critical thinking and fostered peer learning, engaging 97 students in total.
- Creating an Artistic Campus Environment
- Taoyuan Lantern Festival 2025- “City Spotlight” showcased 13 works under the theme “Contours of Home”, reflecting cultural diversity. Faculty from the Department of Art and Design led students from multiple ethnic backgrounds in creating “Praying for a Bountiful Year”, symbolizing the inheritance and innovation of indigenous culture.
- In October 2025, the Department of Art and Design hosted the “YZU Art & Design 24HR Open Workshop”, combining silhouette cutting and blueprint imaging techniques. The event connected participants across grades and disciplines, highlighting diversity and co-creation, with 160 faculty and students participating.
- The Art Center hosted the 25th YZU Community Arts Festival of YZU, featuring art lectures, anniversary performances, film screenings, workshops, the Peach Blossom Camp, and the Spring Music Festival. These activities enriched cultural engagement both on campus and in the local community, attracting 2,198 participants.
- The YZU Literature Award continued: The 24th edition (2024) received 165 submissions (excluding the high school category), while the 25th edition (2025) received 189 submissions, representing a 14.6% increase in participation.
- Subproject A: Autonomous Interdisciplinary Learning
- General Education Integration
- Micro-Course Modules: In 2025, Yuan Ze University launched 91 micro-courses across diverse fields, such as “Resilient Taiwan Series-Wilderness First Aid and Wound Care” and “Unmasking Scams-Case Studies on Financial and Investment Fraud”. These courses offer flexible, interest-based learning options, enabling students to manage progress and enhance motivation.
- Integrated General Education and Professional Courses: In 2025, 29 integrated courses were introduced to strengthen the connection between general education and professional disciplines, fostering essential foundational competencies for undergraduates.
- Practice-Based Integration Courses: Courses incorporated experiential and action-based learning, allowing students to develop interdisciplinary application skills through hands-on projects. For example, students in “Exploring and Navigating the Publishing Industry Chain” executed the entire publishing process-from planning and editing to production and marketing-and successfully published two poetry collections in February 2025 and one in August 2025.
- Self-Directed Learning Initiative
- Independent Learning Program: Established a structured system and digital platform for self-directed learning. By September 2025, the university completed policy promotion and guidelines, and by November, officially launched the “Professional Self-Directed Learning Program” website, integrating policy details, application procedures, and exemplary outcomes. The system includes a formal application and review mechanism to ensure institutionalized operations.
- Thematic Reading Groups: To foster reading habits and learning motivation, students could form teams and apply for participation. Approved teams received book subsidies. 32 faculty members served as mentors, supporting 28 teams with 122 participants. In September 2025, the university held an award ceremony and reflection sharing session for the Spring 2024 thematic reading groups.
- Achievements in Self-Directed Learning: Since September 2024, the university has implemented a “Multi-Achievement Certificate System”, recording over 500 entries by November 2025. Leadership training continued throughout 2025, covering team creativity, collaborative learning, problem-based learning, communication style analysis, interpersonal skills, and stage presence for verbal and physical expression, engaging 128 participants.
- Cross-Disciplinary Co-Creation
- Expanding Interdisciplinary Opportunities: To break departmental boundaries and foster cross-domain learning, YZU introduced one-credit interdisciplinary courses. In Spring 2024, the Sustainability Center and Art Center offered 4 courses with 36 students enrolled; by Fall 2025, the number grew to 7 courses with 136 students enrolled. Topics included Artificial Intelligence, Net Zero Carbon, Social Responsibility, and Entrepreneurial Innovation. Participation reflected strong appeal across disciplines: engineering students engaged actively, business students focused on AI and sustainability, and art and design students explored technology and generative AI.
- Flexible Modular Learning: YZU expanded modular and self-directed learning programs significantly. Modular courses increased from 345 to 474, self-directed courses from 23 to 33 (with 2,501 enrollments), and problem-based/experiential courses from 423 to 444. Faculty involved in interdisciplinary teaching grew from 201 to 230, and co-taught courses rose from 47 to 62. Students completing interdisciplinary courses reached 5,069, demonstrating sustained growth in collaboration and student engagement.
- Cross-Disciplinary Smart Learning
- Personalized Learning Support: Through the “YZUCAN system”, students receive guidance for cross-disciplinary learning and progress tracking. For example, in the course Digital Humanities Applications I, analysis revealed significant polarization: 34.2% of students were classified as “Creative Social-Oriented”, while 21.1% fell into the “High-Risk Support Needed” category (low ability and low self-regulation). This indicates that nearly one-fifth of freshmen lack essential self-management and core competencies, highlighting the need for targeted interventions through mentoring, workshops, and peer support mechanisms.
- Interdisciplinary Competition Achievements: Student projects from the Department of Information Communication excelled in major competitions, winning three awards (Silver and Bronze) at the “Vision Get Wild Awards” and securing a Gold Award in an “International Design Competition”, showcasing creativity and global competitiveness.
- Subproject G: Global Mobility
- Talent Development for Global Engagement
- English-Medium Instruction: In 2025, YZU hosted 16 Full English Lectures and 4 corporate visits, attracting over 680 participants, while enhancing digital course delivery and English tutoring to strengthen students’ global learning capabilities.
- International Career Training: Conducted the “Elite Lecture Series-12 Lessons Universities Don’t Teach” and advanced GMAT programs, including forums, storytelling sessions, consensus camps, corporate visits, and eight-week training courses. A total of 35 sessions engaged 1,737 participants, significantly improving students’ international employability.
- Multilingual Competence
- Enhancing English for Local Students: English-taught bachelor programs offered full English instruction and after-class tutoring for professional courses, supported by faculty and senior students. Eight tutoring courses served 126 participants. Students are also required to take a second foreign language-4 credits for Humanities and Social Sciences English Program, 8 credits for Business English Program-to strengthen multilingual proficiency.
- Mandarin Support for International Students: Organized 23 Mandarin Chat sessions, 6 cultural workshops, and 5 résumé clinics, with over 700 participants, helping international students improve language skills and cultural adaptation.
- Expanding Foreign Language Options: Offered second language courses such as Japanese, German, Russian, Thai, and Vietnamese, combining level-based instruction with cultural activities. Language certification coaching was provided to help students obtain international credentials and enhance global competitiveness.
- International Linkages and Campus Engagement
- Bilateral Academic Exchange: Faculty engaged in 16 outbound visits to partner universities and hosted 9 international scholars, fostering bilateral academic collaboration.
- Paving Global Learning Pathways: Facilitated student exchanges, overseas volunteering, and short-term programs, with 167 outbound and 127 inbound participants, covering Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
- Inclusive International Campus: Organized orientation, cultural experiences, and festive events, with up to 200 participants per event, and implemented Muslim-friendly facilities. Promoted bilingual email announcements, achieving 77.61% bilingual rate in campus broadcasts in 2025.
- Cultural Integration: Hosted international cultural fairs and dance events, each attracting 160 participants, and organized the first “Taoyuan International Student Festival”, drawing over 500 attendees from 30 universities and 20 countries.
- Strengthening Global Reputation: Encouraged colleges to actively participate in international activities, expanding YZU’s global presence across Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Italy, the UK, and the Czech Republic.
- Subproject E: Technology Empowerment
- Digital Systems for Teaching Support
- AI Learning Prediction Model: Expanded to three departments in the College of Informatics and College of Engineering, achieving 75% accuracy in predicting graduation risk and academic performance. Implemented pilot counseling in Fall 2025, categorizing students into “High Risk”, “At Risk”, and “No Immediate Risk”, and providing key influencing factors for targeted mentoring.
- YZU ChatGPT: Deployed during freshman orientation, serving 1,924 users and answering 3,582 queries, with an average response time of 6.02 seconds and only 13.09% unanswered rate.
- AI Teaching Assistant: Launched in Fall 2025 for Advanced English and Human-Computer Interaction Design, offering real-time feedback and enabling instructors to adjust teaching based on common errors.
- 360° Virtual Campus Tour: Completed immersive virtual campus guides and hosted an interactive 360° Metaverse Demonstration Tour in September 2025.
- Smart Campus: Developed AI-based detection for risky behaviors such as falls, smoking, and double-riding on e-scooters, with planned performance evaluations and system integration for campus-wide monitoring.
- Innovative Teaching Framework
- Teaching Enhancement Program: In 2025, Yuan Ze University founded 67 courses under the Teaching Enhancement Program, covering design, engineering, and creative disciplines with strong interdisciplinary features. Highlights include Color Theory Course: Combined theory and practice, collaborating with the Down Syndrome Foundation to host the “321 Create Our World” exhibition at Taipei Main Station; Communication Electronics Course: Integrated industry-standard English interface software and PBL materials, enabling students to connect theory with practice and strengthen RF circuit understanding and instrument operation skills.; Animation Fundamentals Course: Merged technology, humanities, and art by introducing AI-generated art and AIGC applications, equipping students with cutting-edge skills aligned with the latest animation industry trends. Outcomes were presented through diverse formats such as hands-on projects, illustrated books, and course videos, with all final reports published on the cloud platform for open access.
- Innovative Teaching Awards: In 2025, YZU presented 2 Outstanding Awards, 4 Excellence Awards, 6 Merit Awards, and 14 Higher Education SPROUT Project Execution Awards, recognizing courses that demonstrated exceptional innovation. Award-winning initiatives included “Art and Design Courses”: Leveraged AI teaching assistants, team co-creation, and issue-based learning through the “Generative AI & Practical Tasks & Real-World Validation” model, enabling students to design interactive systems addressing senior citizens’ needs; Publishing Industry Chain Course: Focused on developing independent project managers, strengthening planning, resource integration, and multi-skilled capabilities through interdisciplinary learning; Digital Humanities Course: Guided students to understand challenges in the AI era and apply tools through site visits, competitions, and creative outputs, achieving seamless integration of theory and practice; AI-Oriented Game Development Course: Combined Unity and AI technologies in project-based learning, incorporating sustainability themes and embedding social responsibility into game design.
- Teaching Practice Research Program: To advance the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), YZU actively encouraged faculty to apply for teaching practice research projects. From 2022 to 2024, 85 proposals were submitted, with 39 approved (a success rate of 45.88%, surpassing the national average of 43.70%). Through faculty communities, workshops, and curriculum redesign, the university promoted innovation in course design, pedagogy, and assessment, shaping a robust and sustainable SoTL culture.
Fulfilling Social Responsibility
- Subproject C: Community Engagement
- Community Engagement Courses
- In alignment with the SDGs and university social responsibility, YZU offered 29 courses in 2025, covering themes such as environment, culture, education, health, and international care, with a total budget of NT$640,000. Several courses were implemented across two consecutive semesters, forming a stable model. For example, faculty from the Department of Electrical Engineering led students to Xinwu Bengang Elementary School and Guanyin Fulin Elementary School to build semi-automated irrigation systems, supporting the development of small-scale farms.
- Courses spanned engineering, humanities, languages, arts, and physical education, engaging students in teaching, guided tours, environmental observation, and sports promotion in elementary schools, high schools, communities, and public spaces. These initiatives cultivated skills in problem analysis, communication, and teamwork, making social engagement a regular practice. For instance, faculty from the Department of Chinese Linguistics and Literature guided students to Taoyuan Municipal Yung-Feng High School to train local cultural tour guides and to Jong-Jen Elementary School to promote AI-integrated Chinese language education.
- USR Hub
- The USR Hub focused on six major themes: Green Circular Economy, International Humanitarian Aid, Sustainable Co-Creation, Cultural Weaving, All-Age Health and Food Safety, and Sustainable Agriculture. Collaborative sites included campuses, social welfare organizations, local communities, long-term care institutions, farmland, and Malaysian villages. Activities ranged from green practices and field research to cultural tours and health promotion, deepening local and global connections. Examples include guiding students to design business models for second-hand clothing, developing a mobile app to identify fabric types for recycling, reducing complexity in textile reuse, and fostering green awareness. Students also participated in environmental improvement projects in Malaysian Bajau communities and provided health education in local neighborhoods.
- Each Hub collaborated with different college courses to establish a “Course-USR-Field” linkage, reinforcing sustainable social engagement models. For example, students visited Longgang Zhongzhen Community to interact with residents and learn about unique Burmese culture. They produced videos and illustrated books to promote the community, while business students designed local products reflecting cultural identity. Additionally, YZU partnered with Daxi Lan Shi Tea House to create VR-based virtual tours, helping local sites expand outreach.
- Subproject T: Sustainability Transformation
- Embedding Sustainability Concepts into Academic Courses
- In Spring 2024, the Center for Sustainable Development and Social Responsibility introduced interdisciplinary courses such as “University Social Responsibility and Community Development” and “Net Zero Carbon Program”, fostering students’ understanding of core concepts and practical applications in sustainability and social responsibility.
- Enhanced the SDG alignment feature in the university’s course planning system by adding more indicators, enabling faculty to accurately map course content to relevant sustainability goals and deepen curriculum integration with SDGs.
- Creating a Learning Environment that Supports Sustainability
- In 2025, YZU continued hosting sustainability-themed activities aligned with Earth Day’s theme “Planet Power”, in conjunction with the Ministry of Education’s solar energy pilot program. Events included five “Climate and Energy Education Lectures”, two energy education sessions for elementary and middle schools, and the “Green Energy Trends Forum on Hydrogen, Biomass, and Energy Storage”.
- Established the Faculty Professional Community for Social Responsibility and Sustainability in 2025, creating a cross-disciplinary platform for discussion and curriculum innovation, strengthening faculty engagement in sustainability practices.
- Campus Environmental Improvement Initiatives
- Launched the “Name a Tree, Connect with Green” campaign, inviting faculty and students to write tree names and signatures on plaques placed under trees, symbolizing human-nature connection and laying the foundation for future carbon sequestration studies.
- Organized the “Discover Ecology, You Are Part of It” Biodiversity Photography Contest and Campus Tour in 2025, engaging students, faculty, and alumni to raise awareness of biodiversity and sustainability through visual storytelling and guided tours.
- Completed the construction of a campus ecological pond, where diverse aquatic plants and increasing insect populations have significantly enhanced biodiversity, showcasing a thriving natural ecosystem.
- Disclosing Campus Sustainability Achievements
- Won Dual Honors at the 2nd Taiwan University Sustainability Awards (2025): Model Sustainable University and Gold-Level Sustainability Report.
- Won the Bronze Award for the second consecutive year at the 7th National Enterprise Environmental Protection Awards (2025).
- Achieved two Silver and one Bronze Award at the 5th TSAA Taiwan Sustainability Action Awards (2025).
- Passed ISO 14064-1 Greenhouse Gas Inventory Verification in October 2025 and obtained ISO 50001 Energy Management System Certification in November 2025.
Industry Academia Collaboration
- Subproject I: Practical Problem Solving
- Industrial Academy
- Continued partnerships with leading enterprises to establish dedicated corporate academies, attracting nearly 200 students. In 2025, YZU launched the “Cica-Huntek Chemical Tech. Academy”, integrating industry resources and expert mentorship to provide diverse learning environments and expand career opportunities.
- Responding to the demand for semiconductor professionals, YZU collaborated with TSMC to offer four specialized programs: Smart Manufacturing, Component Integration, Instrumentation Engineering, and Process Modules, engaging over 300 students and cultivating hands-on skills and core competencies for the semiconductor industry.
- STEAM-Based Industry-Academia Practice
- The College of Management initiated the “Mentorship Program”, building a career mentor network and promoting the core platform of Learning-Practice-Connection. The first cohort included 24 mentors from semiconductor, AI, and smart manufacturing sectors, guiding students in career planning.
- Supported student startups in national innovation competitions: “Bone Accessory” won NT$550,000 in “U-start” Startup funding and an additional NT$450,000 excellence award; “Manlai Brewing” stood out among 1,262 entries nationwide, advancing to the finals of the 2025 Environment Friendly Design Competition.
- Sustainability Research
- Hosted the “2025 WiCMA Technology Expo”, featuring 7 companies and 50 participants.
- Introduced the “MATLAB/Simulink Fundamentals for Electrical and Computer Engineering lab course”, embedding SDG concepts and driving practical learning through five industry-academia projects.
- Offered a “Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology with AI Applications workshop” for 35 participants from academia and industry.
- Co-organized the “Green Energy Trends Forum: Hydrogen & Biomass & Energy Storage”, fostering collaboration and innovation.
- Established six long-term care demonstration sites and hosted eight cross-institutional exchange events, including presentations at the “Cares Expo Taipei”, where 12 organizations showcased smart care technologies.
- Participated in the “AI Technology and Student Research Exhibition”, providing gamified assessments for sarcopenia and health management.
- Executed a National Health Research Institute project, assisting 29 institutions over three years in adopting smart care technologies and forming a network of more than 300 alliances, positioning YZU as a model for smart elderly care.
- Collaborated with Far Eastern International Bank to develop a “Financial Flow Analysis Platform”, enhancing fraud detection and risk prevention through visualization technology.
- Partnered with startup “Howise AI” to advance “Large Language Model Sentiment Analysis”, engaging students in hands-on projects and producing graduates who joined the company. Research outcomes were published in IEEE TASLP 2025 and AAAI 2025, underscoring YZU’s strength in industry-academia collaboration and academic research.
- Sustainable Enterprise Initiatives
- Co-hosted the “SmartZero City 2025 Forum” with the EU EAI, bringing together 52 international experts and 26 organizations, attracting 769 participants, and strengthening global dialogue on smart governance and net-zero transformation.
- Implemented the “Malaysia Bajau Humanitarian and Sustainability Project” in August 2025, delivering material aid, educational outreach, and climate resilience support to vulnerable communities, deepening cross-border humanitarian engagement.
- Launched the “Sustainability and Debate Program” at Oxford University in August 2025, using the Oxford debate format to guide 30 international participants in exploring sustainability policy dilemmas, enhancing critical thinking and global governance perspectives.
- Honors and Awards
- Professor Chih-Min Lin from the Department of Electrical Engineering won the 29th “National Chair Professorship”, making YZU the only private university to earn this distinction in the past decade, highlighting excellence in engineering and applied sciences.
- Three faculty members from the Department of Electrical Engineering, Graduate Institute of Medicine, and the Department of Mechanical Engineering received the “21st National Innovation Award” in the categories of “Smart Healthcare and Health Technology” and “Environmental Technology and Energy Applications”.
- Faculty from the Graduate School of Biotechnology and Bioengineering won the “International Academic Diamond Award” at the “20th IIP International Inventor Prize”, while three others earned the “Academic National Pride Medals”.
- Faculty member from the Department of Mechanical Engineering won the “2025 Future Tech Award” for pioneering “Next-Generation PEM Electrolysis Technology for Low-Carbon Ozone and Negative-Carbon Green Hydrogen Production”.
- Earned the “2025 AI Award”, by faculty members from the College of Electrical and Communication Engineering, recognized for “Developing Edge Computing Systems Using Deep Model Distillation and Lightweight Architectures”, receiving the “Best Solution Award of the Year”.
- At the “2025 Taiwan Innotech Expo”, YZU teams captured Platinum, Gold, and Silver Awards, showcasing leadership in innovation by teams that constitutes faculty members and students from the Department of Electrical Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Department of Computer Science and Engineering.
- The College of Electrical Engineering and Communication won the Gold Medal at the “2025 NeurIPS Open Polymer Prediction” Machine Learning Challenge, leveraging “Graph Neural Networks and Molecular Feature Engineering as Core Deep Learning Model ” to demonstrate cutting-edge AI research capabilities.
- The Department of Information Communication won four digital category awards at the “2025 ISARCH Design Awards” in Spain, ranking 16th globally and 3rd in Taiwan.
- The Department of Information Management won Second Place at the “14th National AI Creation Award” for its project on “Generative AI in Leukocyte Classification, Advancing AI-Driven Healthcare Innovation”.
- The Department of Computer Science and Engineering earned an Honorable Mention at the “2025 Best AI Awards” for its project “iPABan-An Interactive Reading Robot for Early Childhood Education”, demonstrating strong potential for industrial application.
Enhancing Public Engagement in Higher Education
- Subproject H: Enhancing Public Engagement in Higher Education
- Implementing Guidance Mechanisms to Strengthen Employability
- Students participating in the program demonstrated significant improvement in UCAN competency scores, particularly in “communication”, “lifelong learning”, “problem-solving”, and “innovation”. Their average academic performance each semester was consistently higher than that of non-participating students.
- The “Comprehensive Student Assistance Program” received an annual donation of NT$5 million from the “Far Eastern Memorial Foundation”, ensuring sustained support for student success.
- Transparency and Resource Sharing
- Published key institutional reports in 2025:
March: 2024 University Social Responsibility Annual Report
April: 2024 Institutional Research Accountability Report
August: 2024 Sustainability Report
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- Launched a “Free Online Learning Platform” for working professionals, integrating AI courses with practical case studies in data analytics, process automation, and smart marketing. In 2025, the platform recorded 4,583 enrollments and 1,400 completions, reinforcing lifelong learning opportunities.
- Strengthening global alumni engagement through diverse activities, including four alumni sharing sessions, two one-day alumni tours, and international networking luncheons, fostering a robust alumni community committed to supporting YZU’s sustainable development.
- Building Organizational Resilience for a Sustainable University
- To attract and retain top talent, YZU allocated 4% of Higher Education SPROUT Project funding for flexible faculty compensation and successfully secured additional subsidies under the Ministry of Education’s “Special Flexible Salary Program for Outstanding Faculty”, benefiting nine high-performing professors. Faculty positions increased by 15 in 2025 and 14 in 2026, ensuring high-quality teaching capacity.
- Strengthened financial structure and continued revenue growth, with donations exceeding NT$700 million in 2025. Funds were reinvested in capital projects, including the development of the “New Taipei Branch Campus”, advancing YZU’s long-term strategic expansion.