Summary of 2024 (Year 113) Higher Education SPROUT Project Achievements

The university’s achievements under the 2024 Higher Education SPROUT Project are summarized in four main dimensions: teaching innovation and quality enhancement, development of institutional characteristics, promotion of higher education accessibility, and fulfillment of social responsibility.

I. Teaching Innovation and Advancement

1. Faculty Participation in Teaching Practice Research Projects:
   Institutional reforms encouraged faculty participation, allowing up to 2 hours of teaching load reduction per semester.
   From 2018–2024, 155 proposals were submitted and 78 approved, achieving a 50.3% success rate (national average: 43.9%).
2. Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competitions:
   Students excelled in the 29th InnoServe Awards, which featured 1,623 teams from 131 domestic and international universities.
   The university won 1st place in the Asia Silicon Valley 3.0 Smart IoT Innovation Category and 2nd place in the Information Application Category (IP8).
3. Interdisciplinary Collaboration Highlights:
   The College of Bioscience and the College of Electrical Engineering jointly organized a bilateral symposium on AIoT Applications in Precision Health, Smart Agriculture, and Smart Medicine.
   Cross-department faculty collaboration led to courses such as IoT Applications in Agriculture and Aging Industries and Smart Agriculture in Crop Production and Marketing.
   Faculty from Life Sciences and Computer Science jointly received NSTC funding for a project developing an AI-based estrus prediction and reproductive cycle management system for sows.
4. Inter-University Alliance Courses:
   The university participated in the SCoT Four-University Alliance, Taiwan AI College Alliance (TAICA), and Food, Health & Happiness Alliance, offering interdisciplinary inter-campus courses.
   The school will soon join the National University System of Taiwan (NUST), and the SCoT Alliance will expand to a nine-university Taiwan City University Platform to share teaching and research resources.
5. Student Entrepreneurship Success Cases:
   • Yu Zai Qing online fish market connects fishermen and consumers via website and LINE.
   • Youngle Seaweed Co., Ltd. revitalizes abandoned fish ponds for seaweed farming and environmental sustainability.
   • Tijou Biotechnology Co., Ltd. develops low-sugar, high-protein drinks using indigenous crops and whey protein.
6. Teaching Promotion Mechanism:
   A supportive teaching environment was established through capability enhancement, subsidies, and mentoring programs.
   From 2020–2024, six faculty members were promoted through the teaching practice research track.
7. Learning Guidance and Planning:
   One-on-one counseling sessions help students with self-awareness, goal setting, and exploring internal and external learning resources.
   Most consultations focus on career planning and further education/employment, followed by course selection and transfer issues.
8. Enhancing International Mobility:
   Participation in overseas teaching, research, academic events, volunteer service, and study-abroad programs increased from 125 to 207 participants—nearly doubling.
9. Creating an International Campus Environment:
   • Hardware: Muslim prayer room certification, global map wall installation, international exchange station optimization, and improved recruitment facilities.
   • Software: English translation of six key academic regulations and policies; participants in intercultural activities rose from 1,087 to 1,216—well above the target.
10. Innovative Dual-Degree Programs:
    Partner university faculty were invited to co-teach bilingual courses, increasing enrollment from 177 to 192 participants.

II. Fulfilling Social Responsibility

1. Information Volunteer Services:
   The Kavalan Information Volunteer Team, founded in 2006, continues to serve local communities by promoting digital literacy, cultural tourism, and educational access.
   Total participation: 459 students serving 1,494 beneficiaries, receiving highly positive feedback.
2. Local Cultural and Historical Preservation:
   The university established the YUDA Memory Archive to preserve its century-long history, integrating cultural corridors, archaeological exhibition halls, and ten heritage interpretation sites—turning the campus into an open-air museum.
   Collaboration with the Cultural Affairs Bureau produced the Yilan Agricultural School Heritage Digital Exhibition Hall, a pioneering online archaeological presentation of Kavalan culture.

III. Industry–Academia Collaboration

1. Full-Time Internship Promotion:
   Collaborated with 21 enterprises to expand full-time internship opportunities.
   Off-campus internship participation rose from 254 students (5.67%) in 2022 to 289 students (6.59%) in 2023.
2. Youth Entrepreneurship Support:
   From 2023–2024, the university assisted students in overcoming startup challenges, enhancing success rates.
   • 232 students participated in entrepreneurship competitions.
   • 45 government-funded startup proposals were submitted.
   • 3 teams successfully registered as startup companies.

IV. Enhancing Higher Education Accessibility

1. Scholarship Consultation Platform:
   Provides individualized assistance based on student identity, financial status, and eligibility.
   From 2023–2024, 485 students received scholarship consultation support.
2. Outstanding Support for Economically Disadvantaged Students:
   • Average academic performance: subsidized students 81.31 vs. general students 74.14.
   • Required career seminars: 174 total → actually attended 271 (155.7% achievement).
   • Required service hours: 400 total → performed 1,265 (316.3% achievement).