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21st Graduation Ceremony of NUK President Chen Yueh-Tuan: Utilize Cross-Disciplinary Skills to Face Future Challenges Mayor Chen Chi-Mai: Learning to Make Choices and Persist in Life
【Translator: Zhi-Yu Yang】【Promotion of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) series】2024-06-01 The National University of Kaohsiung (NUK) held its 21st graduation ceremony today(June 1). President Chen Yueh-Tuan encouraged the graduates to face the challenges of the AI wave and digital transformation with a proactive attitude, leveraging the interdisciplinary skills cultivated at the university to create competitive advantages and new opportunities. Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-Mai was invited to deliver a speech, sharing his life story and imparting the lesson, "When you encounter failure, don't rush to get up. Instead, learn to make choices and persist." President Chen Yueh-Tuan stated that NUK has been ranked first among "public general medium-sized universities" for two consecutive years in the survey of the "Top 2,000 Enterprises' Most Favored University Graduates." This accolade is a testament to the university's efforts to integrate academic learning with industry needs and establish strong connections. Chen emphasized that the university's governing goals are "industry linkage and social linkage," in adherence to the central government's "2050 Net Zero Emissions" policy, aligning with Kaohsiung City's "Net Zero City Development Autonomy Regulations" passed in 2023, and continuing to uphold the honor of being a "green university."Chen Yueh-Tuan also encouraged graduates to stay strong and brave when facing the future. She emphasized that while the world constantly changes, " attitude " is the only constant." With the advent of the AI and digital transformation era, graduates should continue enhancing the interdisciplinary skills developed during their studies to create competitiveness in their professional fields. The ceremony especially honored Shi Hong-Qiang, a Tayal student from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, who became the first student from NUK to receive the "Presidential Education Award." Shi demonstrated remarkable resilience and determination, overcoming adversity and achieving well-deserved recognition.Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-Mai, as a guest speaker, encouraged graduates with his own life story, saying, "When you encounter failure, don't rush to get up." Chen admitted that losing the 2018 Kaohsiung mayoral election left him in a daze for several days. His team members reminded him, "They haven't given up, so what reason do I have not to be strong?" This prompted him to calm down, face himself bravely, reflect on the reasons for the setback, and consider the next steps. Rushing to get up would only lead to more obstacles.Chen Chi-Mai also shared that it is essential to cherish family relationships, as they will be your greatest spiritual support. Life involves learning to make choices, and it is impossible always to be a winner. One should remain humble and willing to learn, review failures, and find the core ideas that must be upheld. It would help if you continuously improve your professional abilities to avoid being surpassed or replaced and strive to benefit others' lives. Stepping out of the campus will only sometimes be smooth sailing, but graduates are encouraged to persist in their ideals and overcome complex challenges with immense courage.Li Zong-ming, the president of the NUK Alumni Association, stated that he actively engages with various departments within the university, showing concern for the development of school affairs and the needs of teachers and students. He supports student activities and funding for constructing the artificial turf football field and public art project "Heritage and Ascension." During the 2023 school evaluation, he passionately recommended his beloved alma mater to the visiting committee as an "interactive stakeholder." He also used the story of Hong-Qiang to encourage younger students, reminding them that even if they feel like "children caught in the rain without an umbrella" and face frustrations, they should remember the guidance and care from NUK professors and the donations and support from alumni. This assistance helps them complete their studies, demonstrating the spirit of "NUK people taking care of Kaohsiung University people" and fostering a virtuous cycle.For more information, please refer to our school's graduation ceremony section: https://sa.nuk.edu.tw/p/412-1009-4382.php?Lang=zh-tw #SDG1 #SDG4 #SDG13 #SDG17 @Student Affairs Division &Activity
The Goal of University Education - Invite Kara from Step30 international ministries to Share Her Experience in Helping African Children and Encourage Freshmen to Engage in Social Service.
【Translator：Siou-Yao Han】【Promotion of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) series】2023-10-24 The Center for Teaching and Learning Development at the National University of Kaohsiung recently invited Kara, the "Shoes for Life" project promoter, to share her and her husband Yu-Jen Yang's experience in promoting the collection of shoes for Africa. This project aims to improve the quality of life for residents and reduce the suffering caused by diseases transmitted by jiggers. NUK wants to inspire students to embrace the concepts of social engagement and enthusiastic service through this sharing.President Yueh-Tuan Chen of the National University of Kaohsiung (NUK) commends Yu-Jen Yang and Kara for their selfless dedication to social engagement, which aligns with the university's commitment to realizing higher education's values and social responsibilities. By facilitating the sharing of experiences from professionals in various fields, this initiative encourages students to contemplate and practice what they have learned.The lecture event is one of the modules planned by the Center for Teaching and Learning Development as part of the "The Goal of University Education" course. It is primarily designed for first-year students to explore and understand the differences in lifestyles across different countries and regions. Furthermore, it aims to provide a more concrete understanding of the practical cases related to "SDGs" (United Nations Sustainable Development Goals) such as Goal 1 (No Poverty), Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).Yu-Jen Yang is Taiwanese, while Kara is from Canada. The two met at a church and eventually got married. Kara's father was a missionary and often shared with her his experiences and observations from missionary work in Africa, particularly in countries like Kenya. He highlighted the economic struggles of many citizens who couldn't afford shoes, resulting in prolonged barefoot walking. This, in turn, led to infestations and erosion from sand flea bites, causing painful ulcers on their feet and even claiming the lives of children.Motivated by this, the couple initiated the "Step 30: Shoes for Life" campaign in 2014, collecting tens of thousands of second-hand shoes from the Taiwanese public and sending them to Africa. In doing so, they made efficient use of resources and small but meaningful changes to the destinies of African children.Kara mentioned that the team started by organizing old shoes and managing the warehouse, now gradually working their way up to have multiple shipments of containers, delivering shoes to the hands of African children. This process spurred the couple to ponder, "What more can we do?" Thus, in collaboration with church partners, they embarked on journeys with their entire family to various locations. In addition to continuing the "Shoes for Life" project, they began initiatives in Uganda, Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. These efforts included community healthcare, school construction, and establishing community workshops in collaboration with local tribal elders.#SDG1 #SDG3 #SDG6
