NTHU Sustainability Literacy and Student Learning Assessment

THE Impact Rankings 17.4.4 — Sustainable Literacy

1. Institutional Approach to Sustainability Literacy

National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) provides sustainability-related learning opportunities through general education, dedicated courses, interdisciplinary programmes, community engagement, and student-led activities.

Beyond participation in sustainability education, the university recognizes the importance of understanding what students learn and how they apply sustainability-related knowledge.

Sustainability literacy involves more than familiarity with the names of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It includes understanding relationships among environmental, social, and economic issues and applying relevant knowledge to decisions and practical challenges.

NTHU has introduced assessment-related mechanisms within teacher education and student club administration.

These mechanisms provide initial evidence of students' self-reported professional competencies and their application of SDG concepts to extracurricular activities.

However, they do not yet constitute a standardized, university-wide measure of students' sustainability literacy.

2. Professional Competency Assessment in Teacher Education

2.1 SDGs and ESG in Teacher Education Objectives

NTHU's Center for Teacher Education incorporates sustainability-related issues into its educational objectives.

The objective of Forward-looking Research explicitly recognizes the SDGs and environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.

The centre follows the Ministry of Education's professional competency framework for teachers, supporting teacher candidates in understanding social changes, identifying significant issues, and integrating these issues into curriculum and instruction.

This approach helps future teachers consider topics such as the environment, gender equality, human rights, multicultural education, and other sustainability-related concerns.

2.2 Teacher Education Programme Student Survey

The Center for Teacher Education administers the Teacher Education Programme Student Survey during preliminary qualification review and teaching practicum stages.

Teacher candidates assess the professional competencies they have developed during their teacher education programme.

The assessment framework includes Competency 3: Planning Appropriate Curricula, Instruction and Diverse Assessment.

This competency encompasses the ability to understand social changes and important issues and incorporate them into curriculum planning and teaching practice.

The survey provides a formal mechanism for collecting teacher candidates' self-reported learning outcomes.

2.3 Relevance and Limitations for Sustainability Literacy

The teacher education survey is relevant to sustainability education because NTHU's teacher education objectives recognize SDGs and ESG, and the professional competency framework addresses major social issues.

Nevertheless, the documented assessment focuses on professional teaching competencies.

The materials supplied do not establish that the survey contains questions directly measuring students' knowledge of SDG concepts or their retention of sustainability-related learning.

Furthermore, the survey covers teacher candidates rather than the entire student population.

Accordingly, it is best presented as an indirect assessment of sustainability-related professional application, not as a university-wide sustainability literacy test.

Supporting Evidence

Source: NTHU Center for Teacher Education, 2026 institutional submission for Indicator 17.4.4.

Recommended documentation:

1. Teacher education objectives addressing SDGs and ESG.
2. Ministry of Education professional competency framework.
3. Teacher Education Programme Student Survey questionnaire.
4. Items associated with Competency 3.
5. Anonymized survey results, assessment periods, and response statistics.

Direct links to the survey instrument and its outcomes were not provided in the original submission.

Relevant SDGs: 4, 5, 10, and 17.

3. Student Club SDG Self-assessment Mechanism

3.1 Integration of SDG Identification into Activity Applications

NTHU's Division of Student Activities operates a Student Club Management System through which student organizations submit applications before organizing activities.

Beginning in 2026, the university introduced a mandatory SDG self-assessment field into the activity application process.

Student clubs are required to determine whether their proposed activities relate to the Sustainable Development Goals.

The mechanism encourages students to consider sustainability concepts when designing extracurricular activities.

3.2 Applying SDG Concepts to Student Activities

University student clubs engage in academic, cultural, volunteer, sports, arts, and other activities.

The self-assessment mechanism provides opportunities for students to identify connections between their activities and relevant SDGs.

For example, educational outreach may relate to SDG 4, environmental activities may involve SDGs 6, 12 or 13, and intercultural activities may address SDGs 10 and 17.

These examples illustrate the intended approach to classification and do not represent separately verified assessment results.

Through the application process, students are encouraged to consider the potential social or environmental relevance of their activities.

3.3 Distinguishing Activity Classification from Literacy Measurement

Identifying SDG relevance can demonstrate an initial application of sustainability concepts during activity planning.

However, a student club's classification of an activity does not necessarily measure an individual student's understanding of sustainability or demonstrate retention of learning.

A more direct assessment could include explanations of SDG selection, reflective questions, and rubric-based evaluation of sustainability knowledge.

These additional measures are proposed possibilities rather than existing verified practices.

Supporting Evidence

Source: NTHU Office of Student Affairs, Division of Student Activities, 2026 institutional submission.

Recommended documentation:

1. Screenshots of the SDG self-assessment field.
2. Student club application requirements.
3. Anonymized or aggregated SDG classification records.
4. Examples of student activity applications.
5. Any existing guidance or evaluation rubrics.

The self-assessment requirement began in 2026 and should be identified as a later institutional development if the reporting period is restricted to 2025.

Relevant SDGs: 4 and 17, together with other SDGs selected according to activity content.

4. Current Assessment Coverage and Limitations

NTHU's current sustainability-related assessment practices operate in two different settings.

First, teacher education surveys provide information about teacher candidates' self-reported ability to address major social issues through professional educational practice.

Second, student club applications require activity organizers to consider whether their proposed activities correspond to the SDGs.

These practices provide useful information about professional learning and the application of sustainability concepts in extracurricular planning.

However, the available records do not document a standardized assessment administered across the entire university.

They also do not establish university-wide baseline scores, comparable pre- and post-test results, or longitudinal evidence of sustainability knowledge retention.

Therefore, NTHU distinguishes these existing assessment-related activities from direct measurement of sustainability literacy.

5. Potential Development of a Sustainability Literacy Assessment Framework

Building upon its existing educational and student engagement mechanisms, NTHU could consider developing a more structured assessment framework.

Four dimensions may be relevant.

Sustainability knowledge: Assess understanding of SDG concepts and relationships among environmental, social, and economic sustainability.

Interdisciplinary analysis: Evaluate students' ability to identify stakeholders, competing interests, and consequences in sustainability scenarios.

Practical application: Examine how students apply sustainability concepts to academic projects, professional challenges, campus activities, and everyday decisions.

Learning growth and retention: Use pre- and post-course assessments, or follow-up measures, to examine changes in understanding over time.

These are potential future directions and are not presented as completed university-wide assessment achievements.

6. Continuing Commitment

National Tsing Hua University will continue supporting sustainability-related learning through academic programmes, teacher education, student-led activities, and practical engagement.

The existing teacher education competency survey and student club SDG self-assessment mechanism provide starting points for understanding how sustainability-related issues are addressed in different educational contexts.

Future development may include more direct, comparable, and longitudinal approaches to sustainability literacy assessment, helping the university better evaluate students' understanding and application of the Sustainable Development Goals.