MOE University Social Responsibility (USR) Projects

Under the Ministry of Education’s “USR Projects”, university teachers and students are guided to form teams for uncovering local needs. Drawing on their localism advantage, they work cooperatively on solutions of local problems by division of labor. They also give an impetus to the innovative development of local enterprises and community culture. The University thus becomes an active participant and contributor of sustainable local development. Multidisciplinary courses under the project include those from different professional domains such as the College of Social Sciences, College of Management, College of Liberal Arts, and Si Wan College.

NSYSU’s USR team starts its work from its surrounding area, which covers some of the earliest developed districts of Kaohsiung – Yancheng, Cijin, and Gushan. The rich historical and cultural deposits of the old harbor area is re-presented in artistic and cultural way and with local stories, which entice people into the local blocks again. In cooperation with the disadvantaged groups, the concepts of cherishing resources and sharing economy are promoted. In Cianjhen District which is undergoing industrial transformation, connection is made with the local community to build consensus and promote local participation. Local schools are linked up to push for local identification education and improve teaching environment. The team has also approached the important primary agricultural area in east Kaohsiung and the Pingtung plain, assisting farmers in production and marketing innovation by bringing technology into play, and hence increasing the multiple values of the rural industry. Through the USR projects, NSYSU has brought classes into localities, pioneering in making the academic-community connection, in order to train students’ competence in social practice and exemplify the university’s undertaking in social responsibility.