NATIONAL TSING HUA UNIVERSITY RECEIVES TAIWAN UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABILITY AWARD

National Tsing Hua University was awarded the Taiwan University Sustainability Award. President Hocheng Hong (center) and Chief Sustainability Officer Tai Nyan-hwa (second from the left), Sustainability Office Director Lin Fu-ren (first from the left), Vice President and Chief of Staff King Chung-Ta (second from the right), Dean of International College Doong Ruey-an (first from the right). (Photo: National Tsing Hua University)

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6 (Bernama) -- National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) was awarded the Taiwan University Sustainability Award at the 14th Taiwan Corporate Sustainability Awards (TCSA) held by the Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy (TAISE) on Nov 17.

Standing out amongst the 38 participating universities, NTHU was ranked first in the comprehensive evaluation, and in the individual competitions also received the Social Inclusion Leadership Award and the University Sustainability Report Gold Award.

The judges cited the exemplary way in which NTHU has built on its core competence in teaching and research to respond with concrete actions in meeting the requirements of sustainable development, including the implementation of a campus-wide campaign for reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions.

In addition, they were impressed by NTHU’s workplace ethics emphasising diversity and equality, as well as the way in which faculty and staff are rewarded for outstanding performance in research, teaching, counseling, and public service, all of which has had a positive impact on the larger society and enhanced the university’s international profile.

In terms of sustainability, NTHU has consistently demonstrated what is meant by its school motto, ‘To Oneself Be True, Give Nature Its Due’.

According to a statement, President Hocheng Hong says the natural beauty of the campus goes hand-in-hand with the principles of sustainability.

In addition to being the first university in Taiwan to appoint a chief sustainability officer, NTHU has a total of 517 undergraduate courses related to sustainability, and 216 at the graduate level, which together amount to 13 per cent of the school’s courses.

Meanwhile, Sustainability Office director Lin Fu-ren said in addition to the ongoing Rising Sun Scholarship for financially disadvantaged students, NTHU has established a special fund for assisting students undergoing hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both of which tie in with the UN’s sustainability goals of ‘no poverty’ and ‘quality education’.

-- BERNAMA