Higher Education SPROUT Project

II. Pedagogical Innovation and Institutionalization of Self-Directed Learning

NCCU operationalizes a student-centric pedagogical paradigm through strategic institutional and curricular reforms to foster interdisciplinary engagement and self-directed learning. This framework is anchored by flexible credit mechanisms, the refinement of the 16-week course structure, and cross-domain curriculum development. Students craft personalized learning trajectories via interdisciplinary programs, micro-credential modules, inter-university course enrollment, and independent project development. The efficacy of this modular approach is evidenced by the dramatic expansion to 62 micro-credential programs as of early October 2024 (from 9 at the end of 2023). Notably, the "Shovel Heroes" action learning project engaged students in post-typhoon community reconstruction, serving as a benchmark for cultivating civic responsibility. NCCU is systematically cultivating a cyclical model of self-directed learning to establish an inclusive, interconnected pedagogical innovation ecosystem.

III. Cultivating a Sustainable Campus and USR Engagement

NCCU actively advances institutional sustainability by fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive culture and institutionalizing sustainable living practices. The university published its second NCCU Sustainability Report in October 2025 to reinforce its commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR).

A key benchmark is the inaugural 2024 completion of the organizational greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory for the 2023 fiscal year, focusing on Scope 1 (direct) and Scope 2 (energy indirect) emissions. A comparative analysis confirms a 14% reduction in total GHG emissions for the 2024 reporting year.

In 2025, the institution is strategically sponsoring 10 USR projects extending engagement beyond campus. The "Integrated Rural Planning Practices" project collaborates with the student-initiated National Land Service Corps on environmental diagnostics and community co-learning. By adhering to a structured five-tier USR development framework, NCCU ensures its social engagement practices are executed with systematic rigor and programmatic coherence, progressively solidifying its commitment to holistic sustainability.

IV. Consolidating and Deepening NCCU’s Signature Studies

NCCU strategically integrates its preeminent strengths in the humanities and social sciences, thereby establishing influential signature research domains ("NCCU’s Signature Studies"):

1. Reinventing Business Models : Integrating ESG for Sustainable Corporate Governance –The Center for Business Sustainability Management has released the "NCCU ESG Corporate Solutions" framework, designed to facilitate the seamless integration of sustainable development goals (SDGs) into corporate operational policies. This structured pilot program has engaged over 100 enterprises spanning 43 industries, including the food, electronics, manufacturing, and non-profit sectors, demonstrating robust industrial applicability.

2. Reimagining Democratic Governance：Innovations for Social Resilience – NCCU conducts rigorous research into the threats to democratic resilience arising from the "post-truth era," specifically focusing on truth manipulation, rampant misinformation, political polarization, and the democratic risks posed by AI. The 2025 NCCU Innofest served as a major showcase, aggregating 150 student capstone projects and attracting 25 industry partners. Students leveraged AI to propose innovative solutions for issues like fraud prevention, public opinion analytics, and sustainable governance, thereby validating the profound potential of humanities and social sciences students engaging with technology to address societal challenges.

3. Next-Generation Health Promotion：A Smart and Inclusive Health Society – This domain addresses the structural challenges of the super-aged society by promoting precision health through the optimization of diagnostic and therapeutic efficacy. Research is centered on leveraging data-driven risk analysis and predictive modeling to enhance public health management in the context of aging and chronic disease prevalence. The Research Center for Mind, Brain and Learning has formalized collaborative agreements with 4 medical institutions to establish protocols for clinical case exchange and data interoperability, with a focus on exploring clinical applications related to sleep disorders. The Smart and Inclusive Health Society Program developed a diabetes predictive model in partnership with the Taiwan Association of Diabetes Educators. This model effectively stratifies patient cohorts based on distinct complication risks, facilitating precision health education interventions. Furthermore, a parallel risk model for renal disease has completed preliminary clinical validation.

4. Redefining International Relations: Strategic Repositioning in the Era of Geoeconomic Shifts – In response to evolving geopolitical dynamics and the global repercussions of the U.S. tariff policies, this research area focuses on a strategic analysis of Taiwan's semiconductor supply chain within the global trade architecture. Professor Ming-Shiow Lo has published scholarly analyses in the Harvard Business Review, specifically examining Taiwan's defensive strategies and the strategic repositioning of Taiwan-U.S. supply chain cooperation under tariff pressures.

5. New Sinology: Reimagining Taiwan’s Role in Global Sinology – The Office of Lo Chia-Luen International Sinology Chair is pivotal in facilitating global academic exchange. In 2025, the program hosted 4 prominent international sinologists, who collectively delivered 16 lectures and conducted 4 specialized workshops. Complementing this, 7 intensive international sinology courses were integrated into the College of Liberal Arts’ graduate program. This dual-pronged strategy ensures a robust academic dialogue and proactively reinforces Taiwan's interpretive authority in the global discourse on Chinese cultural studies.