Education for SDGs in the wider community
Sustainable Development Goals
Content
NTHU Sustainability Education Outreach and Lifelong Learning for the Wider Community
THE Impact Rankings 17.4.3 — Education for SDGs in the Wider Community
1. Institutional Commitment to Community Sustainability Education
National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) extends education on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) beyond its campus through community programmes, governmental partnerships, public lectures, professional training, student volunteering, and university social responsibility initiatives.
Drawing upon expertise across its colleges, research centres, teacher education programmes, and alumni networks, NTHU provides learning opportunities for schoolchildren, teachers, rural communities, working professionals, alumni, and the general public.
Its outreach activities address science education, cultural heritage, water conservation, digital literacy, environmental governance, educational equity, inclusive education, gender equality, technology law, arts, and public health.
NTHU seeks to improve access to learning through free educational activities, community fieldwork, online resources, professional development, cultural programmes, and international service projects.
During 2025–2026, the university continued to translate academic knowledge and research findings into educational resources that can be used by people outside higher education.
These activities primarily serve alumni and local communities. Current evidence does not establish dedicated programmes specifically designed for refugees or forcibly displaced populations.
2. Nationwide Cultural Heritage and Sustainability Education for Schools
2.1 Ministry of Culture Heritage Education Advisory Programme
NTHU's College of Education draws upon teacher education expertise and the Department of Environmental and Cultural Resources to support cultural heritage and sustainability education in schools.
During the 2024–2026 academic-year period, the college was commissioned by Taiwan's Ministry of Culture to establish the Cultural Heritage Education Professional Development Advisory Group.
According to the college's submission, the programme provides educational guidance to 64 elementary, junior high, and senior high schools across Taiwan.
The initiative helps teachers integrate cultural heritage sites into teaching through professional consultation, curriculum development, and place-based learning.
By connecting university researchers and teacher educators with primary and secondary schools, the programme extends sustainability-related educational expertise beyond the university.
2.2 Developing Place-based Heritage Education
The NTHU team developed approaches to on-site learning using cultural heritage sites, historical buildings, cultural landscapes, and local community knowledge.
These approaches encourage teachers and students to examine relationships among heritage preservation, local identity, public participation, and sustainable development.
According to the college, the research outcomes were adopted by the Ministry of Culture and published as an educational guidebook.
The programme supports SDG 4.7, which concerns education for sustainable development, and SDG 11.4, which addresses the protection of cultural and natural heritage.
Supporting Evidence
Source: NTHU College of Education, Cultural Heritage Education Professional Development Advisory Group, 2024–2026 institutional submission.
Recommended documentation includes Ministry of Culture commissioning records, the list of 64 participating schools, the published guidebook, teaching materials, and field-education photographs.
Direct public links to these project-specific records remain to be added.
Relevant SDGs: 4, 11, and 17.
3. Environmental Educator Training and Community Capacity Building
3.1 Environmental Education Personnel Certification Training
NTHU's College of Education operates an Environmental Education Center that provides professional training associated with Taiwan's Ministry of Environment.
The centre supports environmental educators, community workers, and other professionals seeking to develop expertise in environmental education and sustainability outreach.
Through structured training, NTHU extends its academic knowledge to external learners and helps develop professional capacity for environmental education.
3.2 Assistance for Environmental Education Sites
The university also assists local governments and community cultural sites with applications and consultations concerning environmental education facility accreditation.
These activities support the development of educational locations where local natural and cultural resources can be used for public learning.
By providing professional guidance, NTHU helps community organizations develop sustainable environmental education capabilities.
3.3 Public Workshops and Knowledge Sharing
The College of Education organizes workshops, seminars, and exhibitions accessible to educators, community workers, and members of the public.
These events translate research findings into educational approaches that can be adapted to local needs.
Supporting Evidence
Source: NTHU College of Education and Environmental Education Center institutional submissions.
Recommended documentation: Training announcements, government authorization records, course programmes, participant records, and community-site accreditation support outcomes.
Relevant SDGs: 4, 11, 13, and 15.
4. Special and Inclusive Education Outreach
4.1 Collaborative Lesson Planning for General and Special Education Teachers
NTHU's Special Education Center, under its Center for Teacher Education, provides professional development for teachers and education practitioners beyond the university.
Activities include workshops on special education and a collaborative lesson-planning seed camp for general and special education teachers.
The programmes bring together teachers from different school levels to discuss inclusive teaching, instructional adaptation, curriculum design, and learning support.
Through shared professional learning and resource development, NTHU helps teachers improve educational opportunities for students with diverse learning needs.
4.2 Accessible Learning Resources
The centre maintains an online resource platform known as Accessible Learning with Love, offering information and teaching materials relating to special and inclusive education.
According to the university submission, the materials are available for teachers throughout Taiwan to download and use free of charge.
This approach supports wider access to educational expertise and reusable instructional resources.
4.3 Teacher Professional Development and Rural School Support
NTHU also offers action research communities, online lectures, and face-to-face workshops for in-service teachers.
Activities include support for science teaching in rural primary and secondary schools.
By connecting university faculty, teacher candidates, and practising educators, the programmes encourage professional knowledge sharing and more equitable access to teaching resources.
Supporting Evidence
Source: NTHU Center for Teacher Education and Special Education Center institutional submissions.
Recommended documentation: Collaborative training announcements, participation records, and a direct link to downloadable materials on the Accessible Learning with Love platform.
Relevant SDGs: 4, 5, 10, and 17.
5. Free Educational Services for Rural and Underserved Students
5.1 Schweitzer Spirit Educational Service Programme
NTHU's Center for Teacher Education continues to organize the Schweitzer Spirit Educational Service Programme.
Teacher candidates provide free educational activities in underserved communities, including areas of Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, and offshore locations such as Kinmen.
The reported outreach also includes communities in northern Thailand and Malaysia.
Activities cover natural science, environmental education, multicultural learning, and other educational subjects.
The programme seeks to broaden educational opportunities for schoolchildren and provide teacher candidates with practical teaching experience.
5.2 Winter Break Tutoring Programme
NTHU also runs a Winter Break Tutoring Programme offering learning support to children in rural and disadvantaged communities.
Through tutoring, educational camps, and experiential activities, students receive opportunities to participate in learning beyond their regular school programmes.
These activities address educational equity while providing professional development experiences for future teachers.
Supporting Evidence
Source: NTHU Center for Teacher Education's submissions concerning the Schweitzer Spirit Educational Service Programme and winter tutoring.
Recommended documentation: Programmes conducted in 2025, participating schools, teaching schedules, and activity records.
Relevant SDGs: 4, 10, and 17.
6. Public Science Education and Sustainable Living
6.1 Taiwan Science Festival 2025
In 2025, faculty members from NTHU's Department of Physics participated in the sixth Taiwan Science Festival, including a science carnival and public science activities in Hsinchu.
The activities introduced topics such as quantum science and photonics through interactive demonstrations and experiments.
They gave schoolchildren and members of the public opportunities to engage with scientific knowledge in accessible ways.
6.2 Taiwan Science Train 2025
NTHU's Department of Physics was also responsible for science outreach activities at three stops in Taoyuan, Hsinchu, and Miaoli during the 2025 Taiwan Science Train programme.
The activities provided experimental learning and science experiences for elementary and junior high school students.
They extended university-level scientific expertise into communities across different locations.
6.3 Public Chemistry Lectures and Environmental Learning
NTHU's Department of Chemistry maintains a partnership with the Shuimu Chemistry Education Foundation in delivering public chemistry lectures.
Activities are offered in schools and communities to help students, parents, and the wider public understand science in everyday life.
Reported examples include practical experiments involving natural cleaning products, acid-base indicators, and other chemistry applications relevant to health and environmental protection.
The department also supports science exhibitions and activities highlighting the contributions of women in science.
These programmes promote scientific literacy, public participation, and access to science education.
Supporting Evidence
Source: NTHU College of Science, Department of Physics, and Department of Chemistry 2025 submissions.
Recommended documentation: Taiwan Science Festival programme, 2025 Taiwan Science Train records, public chemistry lecture schedules, lesson materials, and photographs.
Relevant SDGs: 3, 4, 5, 9, and 11.
7. Watershed Education and Community Environmental Learning
7.1 River Stories and Community Learning in 2025
In 2025, NTHU's Touqian River research team brought sustainability education to local communities through river stories, community interviews, guided walks, and educational materials.
The project developed resources related to Xipuzi, the Zhongxing watercourse, and the Zhudong irrigation canal.
These activities helped community members understand connections among local rivers, historical development, livelihoods, and environmental change.
7.2 Zhudong Waterway Learning Materials
In October 2025, the team compiled educational materials for walking routes in Zhudong.
The materials included route maps, interpretation scripts, documentary sources, and interviews connecting waterways with settlements, markets, forestry areas, and historical washing places.
Local elders, historians, and river patrol volunteers contributed local memories and observations.
NTHU students participated in gathering, reviewing, and translating these materials into educational content accessible to community members.
7.3 Water Science Outreach and Floating Classroom Activities
The 2025 annual project report also documents water-science outreach, guided walks, and floating classroom activities conducted with business and community partners.
Some activities involved environmental learning around Xipuzi Wetland.
Through field-based participation, community members could explore water quality, wetlands, biodiversity, cultural heritage, and local governance.
7.4 Reusable Community Learning Resources
The project emphasized the development of interpretation materials that could be reused in community education.
These resources connect university research with local knowledge, allowing learners to approach sustainability through familiar places and experiences.
Supporting Evidence
NTHU Touqian River Research and Community Engagement Project Report, 2025:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M1kObgkbzlzjTB4JfUalZNvKgp0bZHVA/view
NTHU USR Project Annual Report, 2025:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i8rv_lD3svXestG2mkSkY5XpRC8bEYFi/view
Recommended materials: Zhudong irrigation canal walking-route maps, interpretation pages, water-science activities, and photographs from completed community learning events.
Relevant SDGs: 4, 6, 11, 12, and 17.
8. International Volunteering and Digital Education
8.1 Digital Learning in Tanzania
In 2025, NTHU's International Volunteer Group provided information and communications technology education in African school communities.
The Tanzania team worked with local schools on digital learning, educational support, teacher development, and cultural exchange.
The initiative sought to expand access to digital educational opportunities.
8.2 Computer Facilities and IT Education in Eswatini
The Eswatini team supported computer classroom development and IT education.
Activities focused on improving students' digital skills and supporting intercultural understanding.
8.3 Preparatory Outreach in Kenya and Mozambique
The Kenya–Mozambique pioneer team undertook IT-related educational activities and service assessments to explore possibilities for longer-term cooperation.
Completed activities should be distinguished from prospective classroom installations or future programmes.
8.4 Supporting Community Educational Capacity
Through student volunteering and cooperation with overseas schools, NTHU brought educational resources to communities beyond Taiwan.
These activities combined university student learning with practical support for local educational needs.
Supporting Evidence
NTHU 2025 International Volunteer Achievements:
https://internationalvolunteer.nthudsa.com/pdf/2025
Recommended materials: Country-specific volunteer team reports, teaching programmes, classroom photographs, and records of completed activities.
Relevant SDGs: 4, 10, and 17.
9. Language Education and Multicultural Learning in Local Communities
9.1 Vietnamese Cultural Education
NTHU's Office of Global Affairs organized a volunteer team of Vietnamese international students to conduct cultural activities for children at the Hsinchu City New Immigrant Family Service Center.
Through language and cultural sharing, the activities helped connect international students with children from Vietnamese immigrant families.
The programme supported cultural understanding and community participation.
9.2 Indian Cultural Exchange at a Local School
NTHU also recruited Indian international students to provide educational activities at the TOS campus of NTHU Experimental Elementary School.
The activities promoted intercultural learning and encouraged schoolchildren to develop global perspectives.
9.3 Language Outreach with the Huang Lieh-Huo Social Welfare Foundation
NTHU cooperates with the Huang Lieh-Huo Social Welfare Foundation and local schools to provide language-learning opportunities for schoolchildren.
Through the Taiwan Huayu BEST Program, international scholarship recipients participate in English and additional foreign-language educational activities.
These initiatives extend university international education resources to schools and communities, supporting educational inclusion and intercultural understanding.
The exact roles of individual organizations and partner schools should be substantiated through project records.
Supporting Evidence
NTHU international students' additional foreign-language instruction:
NTHU international students' English instruction in local schools:
Source: NTHU Office of Global Affairs institutional submission.
Recommended documentation: Activity records from the Hsinchu City New Immigrant Family Service Center, school exchange photographs, and foundation partnership records.
Relevant SDGs: 4, 5, 10, and 17.
10. Rural Sports Education and Health Promotion
In 2026, NTHU's Physical Education Office organized sports outreach activities involving university track and field, volleyball, and basketball teams.
Activities were reported at schools including Magong Junior High School in Penghu and Jianshi Junior High School in Hsinchu County.
The programmes included technical instruction, sports science learning, competitions, and experience sharing.
NTHU student-athletes served as teaching assistants, helping extend university sports education to underserved school communities.
These activities supported health promotion and opportunities for physical education.
Supporting Evidence
Source: NTHU Office of Student Affairs, Physical Education Office, 2026 submission.
Recommended documentation: School cooperation records, teaching schedules, photographs, and student participation records.
Relevant SDGs: 3, 4, 10, and 17.
11. Alumni Education, Public Forums, and Lifelong Learning
11.1 Global Alumni Networks and Knowledge Sharing
NTHU's Alumni Association and Alumni Center connect university alumni with professional knowledge, public forums, and lifelong learning opportunities.
According to institutional submissions, NTHU maintains 39 overseas alumni associations or liaison offices and 27 domestic departmental and professional alumni organizations.
These networks support educational exchanges across professional, geographic, and generational boundaries.
11.2 Film Screening on Semiconductor Governance in 2025
On August 29, 2025, NTHU's Institute of Law for Science and Technology organized a special screening of the documentary A Chip Odyssey for faculty, students, and alumni.
The documentary explored the development of Taiwan's semiconductor industry and its implications for technology, international competition, industrial policy, and global supply chains.
The activity provided alumni with opportunities to reflect on the roles of law and public policy in technological and industrial development.
Supporting Evidence
NTHU Institute of Law for Science and Technology, Alumni Film Screening:
11.3 NTHU Anniversary Forum in 2026
On April 25, 2026, NTHU held the anniversary forum "Creating the Future in a Changing World: Humanities × Technology × Cross-sectoral Dialogue."
The forum connected alumni and other participants through interdisciplinary discussions of technological development, humanities, and social change.
It provided opportunities for continuing education and public dialogue beyond formal university courses.
Supporting Evidence
NTHU Alumni Center Forum Record:
https://alumni.site.nthu.edu.tw/p/406-1346-307409,r4272.php?Lang=zh-tw
11.4 Alumni Families and Public Cultural Activities
On April 18, 2026, NTHU held the NTHU Picnic Party × Lawn Concert, providing opportunities for alumni families and community members to participate in cultural activities and intergenerational exchange.
The university also planned the NTHU Lakeside Bubble Waterfront Carnival for October 17, 2026, incorporating family activities, arts, and water-related educational experiences.
As of October 15, 2026, the October 17 event had not yet taken place and is therefore described as planned rather than completed.
Supporting Evidence
Source: NTHU Alumni Association and Alumni Center, 2026 submission.
Recommended documentation: Official announcements, activity programmes, and records demonstrating educational content and actual public participation.
Relevant SDGs: 4, 9, 11, and 17.
12. Public Legal Education, Human Rights, and Social Inclusion
12.1 Public Dialogue at the Taipei Arts Festival in 2025
On July 31, 2025, Professor Yun-Hsien Lin of NTHU's Institute of Law for Science and Technology participated in a public discussion at the Taipei Performing Arts Center.
The session, "Child, Who Are Your Parents? On Same-Sex Marriage, Surrogacy, and the Continuation of Bloodline," addressed same-sex families, assisted reproduction, adoption, surrogacy, and family law.
The event connected legal scholarship with public cultural dialogue.
12.2 FAMILY TRIANGLE: Two Become Three, Three Become All
From September 12 to 14, 2025, Professor Yun-Hsien Lin participated as a legal advisor and performer in the Taipei Arts Festival production FAMILY TRIANGLE: Two Become Three, Three Become All.
The lecture-performance examined reproductive ethics, kinship, law, and family values through the experiences of a lesbian family.
By presenting legal and social issues through theatre, the production introduced academic expertise to public audiences.
12.3 Public Forum on Non-marital Childbearing
On November 23, 2025, Professor Lin participated in the forum "Beyond Marriage and Childbearing: Experiences and Legal Frameworks of Non-Marital Childbearing."
Her presentation addressed legal issues concerning parent-child relationships, acknowledgment, surnames, and family arrangements.
The event enabled community members to learn about family rights, equality, and legal institutions.
Supporting Evidence
Source: NTHU College of Technology Management, 2025 public legal education submission.
Recommended documentation: Official Taipei Performing Arts Center programme pages, FAMILY TRIANGLE production materials, and the organizer's record of the November 23 public forum.
12.4 Public Criminal Law Lecture in 2026
On April 24, 2026, Assistant Professor Tsung-Yuan Lee of NTHU's Institute of Law for Science and Technology delivered a public lecture at National Chengchi University entitled "Dispositional Elements and Dispositional Criminal Law."
The lecture was open to the public without advance registration.
It addressed the limits of criminal punishment, principles of the rule of law, and the protection of fundamental freedoms.
The event demonstrates how university legal expertise can be shared through public education beyond the university.
Supporting Evidence
Source: NTHU College of Technology Management 2026 submission.
Recommended documentation: Official National Chengchi University event announcement and presentation materials.
Relevant SDGs: 4, 5, 10, and 16.
13. Arts, Museums, and Public Cultural Learning
13.1 Free Music Outreach
NTHU's Junshan Concert Hall extends music and arts education to the wider community through its annual Tsinghua Mid-Autumn Moon-Celebrating Concert Series and related activities.
The programmes are offered free of charge to members of the public.
Musical performances, interactions with musicians, and cultural exchange provide learning opportunities for people beyond the university.
13.2 Public Lectures at the Jie Ying Heritage Museum
NTHU's Jie Ying Heritage Museum organizes public lectures in connection with its exhibitions.
Scholars and specialists introduce historical topics, cultural objects, and museum collections to wider audiences.
These activities support public understanding of cultural heritage and history.
13.3 Museum on Demand Podcast
The museum also produces the podcast Museum on Demand, making exhibition content, historical objects, and professional museum knowledge available through digital audio.
The format allows community members to access cultural learning resources regardless of their ability to visit the museum in person.
This expands the public educational function of the university's cultural institutions.
Supporting Evidence
NTHU Jie Ying Heritage Museum:
https://museum.site.nthu.edu.tw/p/406-1153-296943,r11.php?Lang=zh-tw
https://museum.site.nthu.edu.tw/p/404-1153-291651.php?Lang=zh-tw
Recommended documentation: Public lecture announcements, exhibition records, and podcast episodes.
Relevant SDGs: 4, 10, and 11.
14. ESG Professional Development and Continuing Education
14.1 Sustainability Courses for Working Professionals
NTHU's Continuing Education Center offers courses and credit-bearing programmes accessible to members of the wider community.
Sustainability-related offerings reported by the Office of Academic Affairs include an executive master's programme in ESG Sustainability Governance and Innovative Practice, as well as preparation courses for the iPAS Net-Zero Carbon Planning and Management professional certification at the introductory level.
These programmes provide opportunities for working professionals to develop knowledge of sustainability governance, carbon management, and ESG-related practices.
14.2 Science Park ESG Learning Workshops
NTHU's International Industry–Academia Center has participated in planning Science Park ESG Learning Workshops with the university's Center for Sustainability and Resilience Development.
The intended participants include companies operating in the science park.
The initiative seeks to support knowledge sharing and practical understanding of ESG implementation among industry professionals.
The number of completed sessions and participating companies requires additional event records.
Supporting Evidence
NTHU Regional Innovation Center:
https://ric.site.nthu.edu.tw/p/412-1157-22432.php?Lang=zh-tw
Source: NTHU Office of Academic Affairs and International Industry–Academia Center submissions.
Recommended documentation: Programme prospectuses, course schedules, participant groups, and completed ESG workshop records.
Relevant SDGs: 4, 8, 9, 12, 13, and 17.
15. University Social Responsibility and Community Education
According to NTHU's Secretariat, the university maintains six University Social Responsibility (USR) projects that cooperate with local schools, community organizations, and other partners.
Reported educational topics include food and agriculture, bilingual learning, watershed education, and local cultural knowledge.
These projects connect university research and student learning with the educational needs of local communities.
They provide opportunities for schoolchildren and community members to participate in learning activities addressing environmental conservation, cultural heritage, social inclusion, and local sustainability.
The specific educational outcomes of the six projects should be documented through their respective project reports.
Supporting Evidence
Source: NTHU Secretariat, USR institutional submission.
Touqian River Research and Community Engagement Project Report:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M1kObgkbzlzjTB4JfUalZNvKgp0bZHVA/view
Recommended documentation: Reports from the other USR projects identifying outreach courses, community workshops, and educational resources.
16. Continuing Commitment
National Tsing Hua University will continue extending sustainability education to communities beyond campus through teaching, research, professional development, student volunteering, and alumni engagement.
Priority areas include cultural heritage, science education, environmental governance, inclusive education, rural learning support, social equality, ESG professional training, and lifelong learning.
The university will encourage participating units to document outreach curricula, intended audiences, educational resources, activity records, and learning outcomes.
Through collaboration with government agencies, schools, businesses, NGOs, and local communities, NTHU seeks to expand access to meaningful educational opportunities and promote a more inclusive and sustainable society.