The Ministry of Education has launched a new project to spur the enhancement of higher education in Taiwan.
The project is code named “Sprout”, which is the acronym of “Sustained Progress and Rise of Universities in Taiwan”.
Sprout also symbolizes the beginning of robust growth after seeding of the education foundation.

Highlights of the Phase-One SPROUT Project

National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, hereafter known as NYCU, has completed the first phase of the SPROUT(Sustain Progress and the Rise University of Taiwan) Project with funding support from the Ministry of Education in 2018-2022. Aiming at the purposes of improving the learning outcome of students and academic reputation, the core actions of the NYCU SPROUT Project encompassed the advancement of all aspects of University affairs. Some highlights of the accomplishments are categories as follows.

1. Cross-disciplinary Curriculum Programs

  • There are 53 cross-disciplinary course programs in 34 academic units that have been developed with enrolled students exceeding 1292.
  • A university-wide interdisciplinary BS degree program is in place for specially-admitted students in the “Hundred River Curriculum Program (百川學位學程)”, which will be open to regularly admitted students by recommendation.

3. Recruitment of Talented Faculty

  • NYCU has recruited 33 young Mountain Jade scholars.
  • Salary policy has been amended, qualified faculty recruits receive wage increase.
  • Establishment of Young Chair Professor Fund helped to recruit 38 young scholars.

5. Industry-Academia Collaborative Innovation and Entrepreneurship

  • Faculty members have succeeded in Technology Transfer to the industry with 19 start-up companies spun out from NYCU.
  • Faculty members have won over 170 R&D Innovation awards in Taiwan and abroad.
  • NYCU has facilitated over 220 academic interactions with leading international research institutions.
  • Faculty has launched over 23 distinctive interdisciplinary research and innovation teams including engineering, semiconductors, medical, digital technology, quantum science, AI, optoelectronics, intelligent environment, architecture, humanities and societies.

7. Higher Education Accountability for Students in Needs

  • NYCU has a policies to offer admission with scholarship to disadvantaged students.
  • In 2022, 79 culturally or economically disadvantaged students gained NYCU’s admission, plus 678 scholarship applications offered.
  • Equal opportunity for student with any social-economic background are safeguarded at NYCU with many opportunities for assistance, support and counselling.
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2. University-level Courses Combining both Knowledge and Practice

  • These co-creative courses not only deliver specialty knowledge but also emphasize hands-on training. NYCU has developed 151 of them.
  • Another 269 intensive learning and training courses/workshops have been conducted with over 8,200 students participated in; some were EMI (English as a Medium for Instruction) courses.

4. Advancement of Research Performance

  • NYCU has 14 out of 22 academic fields ranked in the top 1% of the ESI (Essential Science Indicators) database.
  • Over 187 articles were published in the Science and Nature series, in which 145 articles are categorized as highly cited.
  • Over 160 doctoral degree students went abroad to engage in collaborative research.
  • During the global Covid-19 pandemic NYCU has hosted 17 international conferences.

6. International Collaboration and Student Mobility

  • NYCU has formed several international platforms, including a Dual-degree Ph.D. with Indian Institute of Technology, a dual MS degree in Materials Science and Engineering with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in USA.
  • An overseas MS program on Semiconductor Technology at the Hanoi University of the Nature Sciences, the National Vietnam University was established.
  • Developed student Internships programs in Taiwan with high-tech industries, Delta, TSMC, ASML etc.
  • NYCU has established 350 sister schools in which 56 offer dual degree programs.

8. University Social Responsibility and Sustainability

  • NYCU has set up a University Social Responsibility (USR) Promotion Office to encourage teachers and students to volunteer for services on issues of social need.
  • Efforts were made to educate staff and students as well as to implement policies and practices to realize SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).
  • NYCU raised fund to support Ukrainian students studying with 29 students registered.