National Central University’s Higher Education Sprout Project centers on six key directions, aiming to holistically improve educational quality and social impact. From innovative teaching enhancement through building a faculty professional development ecosystem and an AI-assisted teaching platform, to fulfilling social responsibility by promoting a low-carbon campus and the University Social Responsibility (USR) teaching-research model; from strengthening industry-academia collaboration to facilitate technology commercialization and startup incubation, to enhancing the public nature of higher education by expanding support for economically disadvantaged students; from optimizing the internationalization administrative support system to improve the learning environment for international students, to integrating five key interdisciplinary research clusters in international priority fields to advance sustainable development. With the core vision of “building a human-centered sustainable education system,” NCU demonstrates comprehensive strengths from teaching innovation to research excellence, talent cultivation to social practice, continuously taking root locally while reaching globally, laying a solid foundation for the nation’s higher education development and the achievement of sustainability goals.
- 1. Teaching Innovation and Enhancement
NCU is committed to establishing a comprehensive teaching-innovation support system that encompasses faculty professional development, AI-assisted teaching platforms, interdisciplinary learning mechanisms, and the internationalization of teaching competencies, with the goal of enhancing teaching quality and optimizing student learning outcomes.
From Innovation to Practice--Building a Faculty Professional Development Ecosystem: Centered on the Teaching Practice Research Program, NCU has developed a comprehensive support mechanism that guides faculty from teaching innovation to research implementation. Through training workshops, TA subsidies, and systematic outcome tracking, faculty are encouraged to pursue continuous professional growth. In AY 2024–2025, a total of 29 faculty members received funding, with an approval rate of 60.42%, and three awardees also received the MOE National Outstanding Project Award for AY 2023. Starting from AY 2024, course learning outcome assessments were implemented. Results show significant improvements across six student learning dimensions: learning motivation, engagement, professional knowledge and skills, interdisciplinary integration, problem-solving, and self-directed learning.
Uedu Leads AI Teaching Innovation Toward New Milestones in International Collaboration: Through the “Uedu” platform, NCU promotes AI-assisted teaching across the university. In 2024, 15 faculty members incorporated it into their teaching practice research projects and completed the development of lesson plans and operation manuals. To date, a total of 487 faculty and students have registered on the platform. NCU also collaborated with seven universities, including NTHU and NYCU, to broaden the impact of AI-assisted teaching in Taiwan, and extended the model to four affiliated high schools (including NCU-affiliated Zhongli Senior High School and NTNU High School). These efforts strengthen K–12 and higher education collaboration by leveraging generative AI and learning analytics to realize data-driven instructional models. In 2025, related research received an award at ICALT and was further showcased at the Big Data Service Conference (Figure 1), opening new international collaboration opportunities.
Exploring Multiple Pathways to Interdisciplinary Learning: NCU hosted its inaugural “NCU Course Expo” (Figure 2), featuring more than 60 teams presenting interdisciplinary micro-courses, micro-programs, student learning communities, renewed XPlorer courses, and teaching practice projects. The event also featured renowned scholars who delivered keynote speeches and review panels by distinguished scholars from within and beyond the university, fostering professional exchange and cross-disciplinary dialogue. Outstanding student-led teams included “ChickMustle,” which integrated AI, gamification, and business strategy to develop innovative fitness solutions, and “Gather Town,” which used AI to enhance writing expression and produce digital picture books, fully demonstrating NCU’s achievements in curriculum innovation and teaching practice.
Deepening EMI Teaching and International Competitiveness through Fulbright Collaboration (Figure 3): In partnership with the Fulbright Foundation, NCU organized an off-campus, two-day EMI faculty empowerment camp co-taught by international EMI experts and distinguished NCU faculty. Six EAP/ESP cross-disciplinary co-preparation communities were established to embed domain-specific English (engineering, technology, management, humanities) into first-year English courses, strengthening foundational skills and subsequent learning continuity, while promoting resource sharing and quality enhancement of internationalized courses. These initiatives continuously strengthen students’ international mobility and intercultural communication capabilities through EMI teaching, enhancing their competitiveness in global learning and workplace environments.
- Fulfilling Social Responsibility
Aligning with the university strategic axis “Deepening Local Engagement and Co-Prosperity,” NCU actively builds a sustainable and resilient campus and expands local collaboration networks through ecological conservation, low-carbon campus initiatives, and USR teaching-research models.
In 2025, NCU continued collaborating with the Taoyuan Wild Bird Society and the Society of Wilderness to complete an ecological and environmental education resource inventory from campus to surrounding communities. The University secured NT$630,000 from the Ministry of Environment’s “Net-Zero Green Living Education Program for Higher Education Institutions,” launching low-carbon campus actions such as reusable bag campaigns, second-hand clothing treasures, low-carbon diets, tea village walks, and Hundred-Flower River tours.
To deepen its role as a public–private collaboration think tank, NCU strengthened SROI impact measurement for USR projects, organized the Taoyuan USR Alliance inter-university conference (Figure 4), and conducted on-campus USR-Hub proposal recruitment, incubating three cross-departmental teams and establishing NCU’s USR teaching-research models in resilient communities, regional revitalization, health screening, and food-agriculture education.
NCU also signed an MOU with the Ministry of Environment (Figure 5) to establish a long-term partnership in climate governance, net-zero transformation, and green talent cultivation. By leveraging academic expertise to drive social transformation and incorporating social responsibility into mid- to long-term institutional governance, NCU was honored with the “2025 Taiwan Top 10 Sustainable Model Universities Award,” demonstrating outstanding achievements in sustainable development and social responsibility.
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Industry-Academia Collaboration and Linkages
Through diverse mechanisms—including industry internships, competition participation, advanced AI education initiatives, and technology commercialization, NCU has established a comprehensive industry-academia ecosystem, cultivating professionally competent talent and facilitating the application of R&D outcomes.
Colleges across the university actively promote industry internships and competitions (e.g., Fubon Financial Holdings, Cathay SITE internships, MOEA Smart Innovation Award, 2025 Startup Pegasus Entrepreneurship Competition), achieving remarkable results.
NCU has strengthened AI education by formally launching the NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute (DLI) faculty training program and earning official NVIDIA Campus Ambassador certification, with seven faculty certified to date. An “NVIDIA DLI Experience-Sharing Session” (Figure 6) was held to build campus AI teaching communities and industry pipelines. In collaboration with the semiconductor industry, specialized courses were launched, with 15 master’s and 42 bachelor’s students currently participating in related modules and STEM graduate programs.
In R&D commercialization, NCU participated in the 2025 Taiwan Innotech Expo, winning 2 gold, 5 silver, 3 bronze medals, and 1 MSI special award in the invention competition (Figure 7). To further strengthen industry linkage, NCU hosted the “AI-Driven New Industrial Era – Technology Development, Application and Business Matching Conference” in May, and the Taoyuan Industrial Association visited the smart factory and robotics lab in September. Collaborations with Delta Electronics, Tripod Technology, ACES Electronics, Wistron, and others resulted in 5 local industry-academia projects and 13 technology transfers (including 6 patents). Two ongoing projects are maintained with Chunghwa Telecom Research Institute and NCSIST. Through inter-university alliances, two cross-university workshops on sustainable development and smart biomedicine were co-organized. In startup incubation, 2 spin-off companies were established, a startup exchange space was built, and 12 teams were mentored. Under Taoyuan City Government’s call, 355 teams participated in the 2025 Startup Pegasus Competition.
- Enhancing the Public Nature of Higher Education
Through the “Safe and Steady Learning Support Program,” NCU integrates internal and external resources and actively fundraises to build a comprehensive support system combining financial aid, empowerment, and giving back, progressively expanding assistance for economically and culturally disadvantaged students.
Over the past three years, the proportion of students receiving assistance increased from 2.84% in AY 2023 to 3.46% in AY 2025. In addition to financial aid, diverse counseling encourages “learning instead of part-time work.” The EMBA Alumni Association donated over NT$7 million for three consecutive years (Figure 8), becoming a key pillar. The University also launched small-donation campaigns and held 10 public-benefit lectures/donated courses, with supported students serving as TAs and volunteers, fostering service learning and spreading goodwill on campus.
- Internationalization Administrative Support System
With “a friendly campus for students and administrative staff” as the core, NCU has built a comprehensive system covering language support, cultural adaptation, career development, and campus environment optimization.
In language support, seven themed Chinese-language activities (including TOCFL preparation and cultural experience courses, Figures 9–10) attracted 325 participants cumulatively. English training (TOEIC and speaking classes) involved 28 administrative staff. Over 10 career workshops, enterprise visits, and cross-cultural events were held in 2025. Campus bilingualization included updating administrative building signage and renovating 144 bilingual directional signs, significantly enhancing readability and friendliness for international faculty and students.
6.International Priority Colleges – Sustainable Development as the Core
NCU integrates five interdisciplinary research clusters under the theme of sustainable development, spanning precision medicine, sustainable energy, smart low-carbon technology, global environmental change, and sustainable governance.
International Priority Colleges
With “Sustainable Development” as the core, NCU integrates five interdisciplinary research clusters. From disease mechanism analysis and AI medical device innovation in interdisciplinary precision medicine and smart healthcare, to hydrogen energy, nuclear fusion, and carbon capture systems in sustainable energy and negative-carbon technology; from GaN power device breakthroughs and smart grid optimization in smart low-carbon and circular technology, to polar research and advanced weather forecasting in global environmental change and disaster prevention; ultimately converging on impact indicator development and green talent cultivation in sustainable governance and social resilience. These five clusters complement one another, demonstrating NCU’s comprehensive strengths from fundamental research to industrial application, and from technological innovation to policy implementation.
Interdisciplinary Precision Medicine and Smart Healthcare
In collaboration with the National Central University–Linkou Chang Gung Chronic Disease Research Center, this cluster focuses on interdisciplinary research in cancer, cardiovascular, and neuropsychiatric diseases. The team has made significant progress in gene mechanisms and disease associations, revealing that Thg1 gene mutations may involve abnormal tRNA modification in cerebellar atrophy, confirming that long-term PFOS exposure promotes malignant progression of urothelial carcinoma cells, and discovering that selenocysteine inhibits neuroblastoma growth while elucidating the KLF4–CDKN1A regulatory mechanism.
In precision treatment and early diagnosis, the team verified that Palbociclib enhances radiotherapy efficacy and modulates the tumor immune microenvironment, developed RNA molecular markers for early lung cancer detection, and constructed a 3D renal tubule model to identify miRNAs related to lead-induced kidney injury.
Outstanding achievements in smart medical devices and clinical applications include an AI-assisted sustainable triboelectric patch (Figure 11) with self-powering, real-time monitoring, and wound healing promotion capabilities, published in Nano Energy. The team also established high-density body-surface potential reconstruction technology for 3D cardiac modeling, achieving radiation-free coronary angiography and lesion localization.
Additionally, the cognitive neuroscience team collaborated with Taipei Veterans General Hospital to identify key EEG biomarkers that predict transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) treatment outcomes for depression, with results published in the International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology. Using density functional theory (DFT), the team uncovered an energy-efficient synthesis mechanism for MOF-801, opening new prospects for drug delivery engineering applications.
Sustainable Energy and Negative-Carbon Technology
This research cluster focuses on five directions: hydrogen energy, laser-driven boron-hydrogen fusion, offshore wind power, biomass carbon technology, and carbon capture & conversion, establishing a complete innovation chain from fundamental materials to system applications.
In hydrogen energy, the team has built a cross-departmental integrated R&D platform and successfully developed low-noble-metal composite catalysts exhibiting ultra-low overpotential, high reaction activity, and excellent stability in both acidic and alkaline simulated seawater, providing a critical material breakthrough for green hydrogen production.
The clean nuclear fusion program uses high-intensity lasers to establish experimental modules, exploring the feasibility of neutron-free boron-hydrogen fusion. The offshore wind power team incorporates AI-based intelligent detection and disaster risk modules to enhance long-term turbine operation and maintenance efficiency while optimizing site selection and resilience planning.
In biomass carbon and carbon capture technologies, the research team integrates agricultural waste-to-bioplastic conversion with field application of modified biochar, simultaneously reducing methane and nitrous oxide emissions while increasing soil carbon sequestration potential. The carbon capture and conversion team successfully developed a machine learning + quantum chemistry hybrid model to predict CO₂ absorption capacity of novel deep eutectic solvents and designed high-efficiency Cu–CeO₂ and high-entropy catalysts for green methanol synthesis.
Overall, the research cluster strengthens Taiwan’s innovation capacity in renewable energy and negative-carbon technologies, deepens industry-academia linkages and international collaboration, and provides diverse, evidence-based technological pathways toward the 2050 net-zero target.
Smart Low-Carbon and Circular Technology
This research cluster targets three core technologies: advanced power semiconductors, smart grids, and circular manufacturing processes.
In GaN power devices, breakthroughs were achieved by completing high-voltage GaN-on-Si epitaxial growth on a 6-inch MOCVD system, meeting 800 V electric vehicle high-voltage DC power system requirements. For low-voltage applications, MIS p-GaN gate AlGaN/GaN HEMT devices were fabricated, suitable for AI server 48 V-to-12 V power modules, with the ultimate goal of building a high-efficiency AI server power system with 2500 W/in³ power density.
In smart grid technology, the team developed an improved fuzzy neural network-based intelligent smoothing scheduling technology that achieved renewable energy output fluctuation rates below 3.5%. In NCU’s microgrid testbed, the TD3 intelligent control strategy reduced system operating costs by 25%, while the DDQN intelligent control mechanism extended critical microgrid basic load duration by 4.75 hours, significantly enhancing end-user system resilience.
In circular manufacturing, cold-mix and warm-mix asphalt technologies were promoted to reduce road construction carbon emissions. High-hardness brittle material low-energy precision machining was developed using ultra-short pulse laser, electrical discharge, electrochemical, and ultrasonic hybrid technologies, expected to reduce energy consumption by 15–20% and increase efficiency by 30%. An AI-assisted intelligent inspection and repair module is under development (target detection accuracy ≥95%, yield improvement 5–10%, material waste reduction 20%). A digital twin and big data analysis platform is also being constructed to integrate sensor data and process records for optimized equipment and energy-quality management.
Global Environmental Change and Disaster Prevention (College of Earth Sciences)
This research cluster addresses critical issues in global environmental change and disaster early-warning systems, responding to global sustainability needs while focusing on local disaster risks and net-zero transformation challenges.
In polar environment monitoring, the Taiwan Polar Research Center joined UArctic in Inari, Finland, becoming Taiwan’s first member of an international polar research organization. A cross-university team of over 30 researchers from five disciplines and six sub-projects was formed and awarded a three-year NSTC interdisciplinary grant.
In extreme weather forecasting under climate change, a high-resolution meteorological data assimilation system was developed to study low-predictability heavy rainfall events in Taiwan. Novel atmospheric observations—including GNSS-R sea surface wind speed from the TRITON satellite, ground-based GNSS convection gradients, and drone observations—were integrated to improve short-term heavy rainfall forecast accuracy. International collaborations with Japan’s National Institute of Informatics and Germany’s GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences advanced water vapor observation and high-resolution precipitation forecasting. The team assisted the Central Weather Administration in developing Taiwan’s first fully domestically developed “Drone Autonomous Operation System,” achieving automatic battery swapping and scheduled flights, and obtained a Taiwan invention patent in February 2025.
Sustainable Governance and Social Resilience
This cluster centers on sustainable governance and social resilience, promoting social impact indicator development, green talent cultivation, and inclusive actions through interdisciplinary approaches.
The College of Management leverages long-accumulated social impact measurement tools to establish Taiwan’s first higher education social impact database, creating localized impact indicator frameworks. Through database applications, practical courses, and industry-academia cooperation, it cultivates cross-disciplinary green talent and guides social capital toward high-impact sustainable initiatives, enhancing governance effectiveness and social welfare. In 2025, it hosted the “AI-Leading Sustainable Society International Academic Symposium and Policy Forum” and continued sustainability education via the “Management College Day” cross-disciplinary lecture series.
The College of Liberal Arts, with peace and diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) as its vision, advances AI-humanities projects such as the “Intelligent Long-Term Care Dialogue System Incorporating Confucian, Taoist, and Buddhist Knowledge Graphs” and offers courses like “AI, Ethics, and Practical Philosophy,” nurturing talent with both humanistic literacy and technological competence.
The College of Hakka Studies, with diversity, equity, and inclusion as core values, addresses judicial, policy, and AI impacts on the public sector, promoting resilient and just sustainable societies through international cooperation and cultural policy collaboration.
The three colleges work together to cultivate future-oriented sustainable talent and realize NCU’s overarching vision for sustainable development.