News--Welcome to National Chiayi University

　　National Chiayi University’s “Higher Education SPROUT Project Exhibition” in 2021 was held on Oct. 27th in Minghsiung. The exhibition put to display the achievements of NCYU’s four major projects, including “Implementing Teaching Innovation and Enhancing Teaching Quality,” “Facilitating Publicity in Higher Education,” “Developing Characteristics as a University,” and “Fulfilling the Social Responsibility.” The exhibition offered the teachers, students, and the public a glimpse into the university’s Higher Education SPROUT Project, as well as a platform for various educational institutions to share their experiences and learn from each other. During the opening ceremony, the science picture book “Chia Bao’s Field Adventure – Quinoa” was also unveiled. It was published by the NCYU Training and Research Institute of Popular Science, Food and Agriculture, and will be distributed to the elementary and junior high schools as popular science teaching materials. The objective is to fulfill the social responsibility as a university to serve the communities in the Yunlin-Chiayi-Tainan region, one of the agricultural hubs in Taiwan.

　　The NCYU Higher Education SPROUT Project Exhibition on the Minghsiung campus featured a video review, unlike the ones organized by other universities that normally take place in the forms of conferences or sharing sessions. The video tells of how NCYU has been committed to becoming the hub for geographical knowledge and social welfare in the Yunlin-Chiayi-Tainan region through the SPROUT program. In addition, indigenous students from Alishan were invited to perform the Tsou ancient folk tune. There were also displays on indigenous tribal crafts and agricultural products. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the sharing session as part of the Higher Education SPROUT Project Exhibition this year was held online on Oct. 20th, where the faculty and students were invited to share their experiences and insights on the project. On the premise of pandemic prevention, the university remains active to organize outdoor exhibitions, including one on the Minghsiung campus on Oct. 27th, and another slated to kick off on the Lantan campus on Nov. 5th.

　　In his opening speech, NCYU Vice President Chishih Chu indicated that the university has been receiving funding from the Ministry of Education (MOE) on the Higher Education SPROUT Project for four consecutive years since 2018. Throughout the years, significant progress has been made in improving learning and environment, among others. The exhibition on the Minghsiung campus boasted a variety of interactive booths and DIY activities. It not only attracted attention of teachers and students from NCYU and other universities, but allowed the faculty and students to further understand the Higher Education SPROUT Project: What is it all about? How and how well has it been carried out? Thus, it enabled them to review how the different programs under the Higher Education SPROUT Project have been implemented in 2021. With funding from the MOE on the Higher Education SPROUT Project 2.0 in the next phase, he anticipated that the university will strengthen its efforts to encourage self-directed learning in the students, and enhance their professional and practical skills across fields. Moreover, the faculty are expected to collaborate across domains to create academic synergy in the local community. The goal is for NCYU to become an active contributor to the sustainable development of the local community and shared development in the society of Taiwan.