Sustainability Concept
Sustainability
Declaration
Message from the Chairman
Message from the President
Oral Accounts of
Chung Yuan Christian University
Practicing Sustainable Development and Establishing a Governance Model
Chung Yuan Christian University was founded in 1955, upholding the spirit of Jesus Christ’s salvation, love for humanity, and sacrificial dedication. Its motto, “Firm Faith, Practical Action,” has guided its educational endeavors since its inception.
In October 1989, the University officially promulgated its educational purpose and philosophy, which have been upheld for over thirty years. The educational purpose explicitly states, “With faith, hope, and love, we are committed to higher education in the Greater China region, aiming to pursue true knowledge and action, to transmit and enlighten culture, and to serve humanity.”
Over three decades ago, when formulating its educational purpose and philosophy, Chung Yuan grounded its educational ethos in sustainable development principles, which seek to benefit society through the integration of technology and humanities expertise in education objectives, ethical concepts, educational motivations, academic stances, pedagogical approaches, and traditional values.
Chung Yuan Christian University is positioned as an outstanding University that places students at the center and views teaching, research, and service as its mission. It values balanced learning and holistic development of students, striving for a harmonious blend of technology and humanities.
Emphasizing both teaching and research, the University has been actively practicing the profound implications of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and University social responsibility (USR) since its establishment. It implements holistic education to disseminate knowledge and enhance its influence in the University community, continuously striving for sustainability within the academic ecosystem.
In 2023, the University was honored for the fourth time with the Ministry of Education’s “Friendly Campus” award, making it the only higher education institution in the country to receive this recognition four times. This achievement underscores the University’s longstanding commitment to holistic education and its emphasis on environmental symbiosis.
Through curriculum planning and campus environment development, the University is dedicated to creating a campus characterized by humanistic care, safety, friendliness, and sustainability, sparing no effort in this endeavor.
As a responsible University citizen entrusted with the mission of nurturing professional talents for the nation and serving as a think tank for policy formulation, Chung Yuan Christian University is about to celebrate its 70th anniversary. Upholding the spirit of “Firm Faith, Practical Action,” the University engages in self-reflection, continuous improvement, and endeavors to implement a development strategy of “realizing sustainable development and creating governance paradigms.”
Through the University’s excellent governance practices, it aims to realize the relevant indicators of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in the economic, social, and environmental domains.
From the five dimensions of “holistic education,” “sustainable development,” “integration of learning and application,” “industry-academia collaboration for value creation,” and “international linkage,” the University demonstrates its aspiration for excellence and its global perspective
CYCU 70: Advancing Toward Sustainability
Adhering to the University’s philosophy of holistic education, we are comprehensively advancing towards a sustainable campus. With a focus on quality teaching and industry collaboration, we aspire to elevate our University to international prominence. By harnessing the power of higher education and knowledge dissemination, we aim to promote the sustainability of the environment, society, and governance.
The sustainable responsibility of holistic education
Founded in 1955, our University upholds the motto “Firm Faith, Practical Action” and operates based on the belief that “Love is the driving force behind education.” During our 40th anniversary celebration in 1995, we introduced the slogan “Chung Yuan 40, Toward Holistic Development,” and initiated a holistic education approach focusing on the four learning dimensions of “Heaven, Humanity, Earth, and Self.”The f irst tenet of our educational philosophy emphasizes the respect for the dignity of human nature and seeks harmony among heaven, humanity, earth, and self. It highlights the necessity for human progress to be balanced with environmental preservation, aligning with the goals of Sustainable Development advocated by the United Nations.
Chung Yuan is a University grounded in practicality and seriousness, committed to shouldering the responsibility of leading society towards a sustainable future. Therefore, we are dedicated to integrating academic resources and placing environmental sustainability at the core of all activities. We actively cultivate students’ professional capabilities in this field, aiming to prepare them to contribute effectively to a sustainable future.
Optimizing Institutional Governance and Joint Efforts of Faculty and Students in Practice
The development plans of our University are guided by the philosophy of holistic education. Under the blueprint of self-positioning, governance philosophy, talent cultivation, and development vision, our overarching goal is to “build our University into a globally recognized institution with numerous benchmark characteristics in holistic education, higher education, life care, and academic research.”
With a clear self-positioning, development vision, and goals, we have identified “Model University of Holistic Education,” “Outstanding University of Top-notch Research,” “University with Innovation and Entrepreneurship Features,” “First-Class University with International Integration,” and “Green University of Sustainable Development” as the main axes of our educational endeavors. We have outlined five major dimensions: “Integration of Quality Teaching and Learning,” “Elevation of Research to International Frontiers,” “Value-added through Industry Collaboration,” “Deepening Internationalization towards Globalization,” and “Sustainable Development through Intelligent Decision-making.”
These dimensions are designed with a forward-looking perspective, rigorous deliberation, and a focus on concrete implementation measures, supplemented with specific performance indicators.
In recent years, the University has excelled in teaching innovation, industry-academia collaboration, academic research, internationaization, and student employment. This report comprehensively showcases the annual achievements of all faculty, staff, and students, reflecting our collective efforts across various dimensions.
Promoting the Public Nature of Higher Education towards a Sustainable Future
Governance
In terms of institutional governance, we have established a dedicated Sustainability Office and integrated sustainable development into our medium and long-term planning. Regular publication of sustainability reports allows all stakeholders to understand progress and participate in further improvement efforts.
Social
In terms of societal engagement, we align teaching, research, and service with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and gradually establish international connections to create practical models. We actively engage in community affairs, social services, and charitable activities to promote social equity and justice. Through these efforts, we aim to affirm the University’s forward-looking position and pursue sustainable management objectives.
Environment
Regarding environmental sustainability, we have developed specific action plans to address the impacts of climate change and are committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Through regular assessments and disclosure of electricity usage or carbon emissions, we aim to allocate sufficient resources to actively achieve campus carbon neutrality and the goal of 100% renewable energy use.
Source：Centre for General Education . For more information, please visit the Centre for General Education website.。