Yuan Ze University Earned Double Recognition as a “2025 Taiwan Sustainable Model University”

Yuan Ze University stood out in the 2025 Taiwan Sustainable University Awards, receiving two major honors—Taiwan Sustainable Model University and the Gold Award for its sustainability report. The university became one of the few institutions in Taiwan to demonstrate leadership across sustainability governance, technological applications, and international visibility.

The university stated that this recognition highlighted years of institutionalized sustainability efforts and reflected its model of enhancing sustainability management through AI and strengthening education quality through internationalization, offering a new benchmark for higher education in Taiwan.

The award was grounded in three core achievements: the application of AI technologies to deepen sustainability management and administrative efficiency, demonstrating the effectiveness of smart governance; national-leading international visibility, with foreign faculty reaching 11.9% and supported by global Top 2% scholars and diverse mobility programs; and the institutionalization of sustainability governance, energy management, and social inclusion, which made sustainability a foundational culture within the university. These achievements showcased Yuan Ze University’s comprehensive progress as a model in sustainability education.

In response to global net-zero trends, the university strengthened campus-wide governance by establishing cross-unit collaboration mechanisms, integrating sustainability issues into administrative processes and strategic planning, and fostering a culture of shared responsibility. With systems for energy management, performance tracking, information disclosure, and sustainability reporting, the university enhanced its environmental and social responsibilities—laying a solid foundation for this year’s recognition.

Amid intensified global educational competition, Yuan Ze University has actively improved its international governance in recent years. The university promoted a bilingual-friendly environment, established the “International Administrative Seed Team,” and set up the International Faculty Support (IFS) system to enhance administrative services for foreign faculty and international students. Regular cross-unit meetings enabled rapid responses to the needs of international members, strengthening administrative efficiency and international competitiveness on campus.

At the time, foreign faculty accounted for 11.9%, representing 17 countries, and four were listed among the 2025 global Top 2% most influential scientists, demonstrating strong research capacity and alignment with international standards. The proportion of international students also exceeded 10%, with the university collaborating with global partners on dual-degree programs, exchange initiatives, and the “1,000 Students Abroad Project,” significantly boosting student mobility.

Additionally, 3,187 overseas alumni continued to maintain close relationships with the university through talks, networking events, and community activities, becoming an important force supporting sustainable development.

Yuan Ze University also actively advances AI research and talent development. It joined the Taiwan Association of Intercollegiate Artificial Intelligence Programs (TAICA) and was recognized as the Taoyuan–Hsinchu–Miaoli Regional Certification Center of the Taiwan AI Academy (TAIA), strengthening interdisciplinary talent cultivation and industry collaboration. Faculty members were featured in five selected industry–academia cases in Taiwan AI Practical Solutions Top 50, demonstrating the university’s achievements in applied AI technologies.

In industry collaboration, the university implemented the AI University Internship Program, supported by Microsoft’s Data Center Community Development initiative. AI technologies were applied in smart governance, medical technology, smart cities, energy management, and sustainability solutions. These outcomes gained attention in various exhibitions, amplifying the impact of AI-sustainability integration.

Administrative services on campus were also fully digitalized and AI-enhanced, including electronic document processing, transcript applications, graduation procedures, and meeting check-ins—improving efficiency and sustainability in university operations.

The university had long promoted social responsibility and community engagement through social engagement courses and USR (University Social Responsibility) initiatives. It fostered a diverse and inclusive campus by establishing gender-neutral restrooms, a global lounge, a Muslim prayer room, and diverse dining options. The university also prioritized faculty and staff welfare through institutionalized support such as housing, group insurance, health check subsidies, and childcare partnerships.

Yuan Ze University emphasized that it would continue to center its vision on innovative teaching, key research, and social engagement, creating a diverse, smart, and human-centered sustainable campus. Intending to become a highly internationalized flagship university, the institution planned to deepen sustainability governance, expand global networks, and strengthen its AI and technological innovation capacity—continuing to contribute to sustainable development in Taiwan and around the world.