September 15, 2025 | By Reporter Hsu Po-Fen

National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) has perfectly integrated its academic expertise and issue-oriented professionalism with local government initiatives to promote local identity. Their projects include protecting the Touqian River, developing glass-based aesthetic medicine, organizing Hsinchu literary walking tours, having NTHU teacher-training students guide elementary school children through Hsinchu’s old town, and creating forest therapy experiences along the Yujin Ancient Trail—all aimed at showcasing the beauty of Hsinchu.

NTHU Vice President Lü Ping-Chiang noted that the university has taken root in Hsinchu, not only growing academically but also caring deeply about the daily lives of local residents. For example, Professor and Director of the Institute of Analytical and Environmental Sciences, Chou Hsiu-Chuan, has been dedicated to monitoring the water quality of the Touqian River. She often takes students to collect samples from the river and conducts heavy-metal testing on riverbed sediments.

Hsinchu is known not only for the City God Temple but also for sites such as the centuries-old Cheng Family Ancestral Hall and the former residence of a Qing Dynasty scholar, which provide rich historical resources. These landmarks have inspired NTHU’s design of literary walking tour routes.

NTHU Chief Sustainability Officer Dr. Lin Fu-Jen emphasized that the university’s commitment to campus sustainability aligns closely with local engagement. Beyond cultivating talent for the technology industry, the university also pays attention to migrant workers and their cultures. At one of NTHU’s USR exhibitions, migrant workers in Hsinchu showcased jewelry and pendants made from recycled local glass, effectively giving new life to discarded materials.

Dr. Lee Tien-Chien, Assistant Professor in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and Deputy Executive Director of the Center for Sustainable Resilience Development, pointed out that Hsinchu’s heritage extends far beyond the City God Temple. The Qing-era Tamsui Prefecture Office was also located here, and aspiring scholars once had to travel long distances to reach the North Gate of Hsinchu to take the imperial examinations. Hsinchu also became home to Taiwan’s first science park. “The more one learns about Hsinchu, the more its profound cultural and historical depth becomes evident,” Lee said. In response, NTHU has designed ten literary walking routes around the city to help more people connect with the land.

NTHU also cares about the second generation of new immigrants in Hsinchu. Postdoctoral researcher Dr. Chen Chiung-Chih explained that in Hukou Township, near Huaxing Elementary School, many Thai migrant workers once lived. A Thai pastor from the local Thai Friends Church often played sepak takraw (a traditional Southeast Asian ball game) with second-generation immigrant children, using the sport as a bridge between schools, families, and migrant communities. NTHU frequently participates in local soccer activities as part of its engagement.