[Yuan Ze Alumni Stories] Alumnus Jia-Kai Hou Returned to Campus to Share Insights on Sustainability Trends and Life Navigation

The College of Management at Yuan Ze University invited alumnus Jia-Kai Hou, Class of 2010, from the Department of Social and Policy Sciences, to return to campus and share with students his journey from university life to his professional career.

He reflected on his evolving mindset, his insights into sustainability trends, and how to find direction in an era of rapid change. The lecture drew a full house, with enthusiastic responses from students.

Hou recalled that during his university years, he had always moved forward by following his instincts, curiosity, and questions. He observed that many students felt lost when exploring their futures—some carried the expectations of adults, some worried that a single choice might derail their lives, and others, despite working hard, hesitated to speak up because they felt they were “not successful enough.” These concerns led him to ask, “Why should students only listen to adults, when there are so many genuine, hardworking, and inspiring peers around them?” Motivated by this belief, he and his partners applied internationally, enabling Yuan Ze University to become one of the few universities at the time to host a TEDx event, to give students’ stories and perspectives a broader platform.

While participating in international volunteer services during his university years, Hou raised another critical question and sought to transform traditional volunteer models. In the past, Taiwanese students often traveled abroad to “teach children how to use computers.” He reflected, however, that if change was to be sustainable, skills should remain within the local community rather than being taken away. Together with his fellow volunteers, he selected local junior high school students and trained them in computer teaching skills, telling them, “From now on, it will be up to you to carry this forward.” Years later, when a major earthquake struck the region, these former junior high volunteers—now university students—sent messages from the disaster area saying, “We were truly able to help rebuild our hometown with our own strength.” For the volunteer team, this became the most precious return and further reinforced his belief in the power of questioning and change.

After graduation, Hou joined one of the Big Four accounting firms, working in divisions focused on social enterprises, social impact, and sustainability innovation. He assisted companies in responding to the rapidly evolving global sustainability landscape. During the lecture, he emphasized that sustainability was no longer a passing trend, but a reality that every industry had to confront. More importantly, he described sustainability as a language—a foundational competency that future professionals across all sectors would need to understand and master.

He also warned that Taiwan was facing profound structural challenges. By 2070, the population was projected to decrease by 7 to 9 million, with nearly half of the population aged over 65. Such demographic shifts were expected to have a far-reaching impact on fields ranging from marketing and human resources to urban design and technological innovation. For example, future core consumer groups might be those aged 50 to 70, prompting companies to rethink how products should be designed to truly meet market needs. In human resources, if the retirement age were extended beyond 70, a 40-year-old professional could still face more than 30 years of career development, significantly increasing the value of experienced talent and reshaping organizational structures.

When discussing life direction, Hou used Google Maps as a metaphor, explaining that life did not have a single fixed route. Sometimes, people needed to first understand where they were before deciding their next step; at other times, they could start by defining their destination and then finding the route. Both approaches were valid and could be used interchangeably. Most importantly, if the direction turned out to be wrong, one could always re-navigate. He remarked thoughtfully, “Every attempt helps us confirm whether this is what we truly want, and these confirmations gradually lead us to where we want to go. Not trying is more of a waste of time than failed attempts.”

The College of Management stated that Hou’s sharing was sincere and thought-provoking. His insights encouraged students to remain curious, to ask questions, and to dare to try in an era of rapid change, while also prompting them to rethink their future career paths through the lens of sustainability. The college expressed hope that the lecture would become a meaningful catalyst for students to explore themselves and build courage, and extended sincere thanks to alumnus Jia-Kai Hou for delivering a talk rich in insight and inspiration.