Noting that “the cooperation would bring together the robust agricultural knowledge and resources of both NPUST and Taiwan Sugar”, President Chin-Lung Chang welcomed Taiwan Sugar Chairman Ming-Chang Wu, who once served as Dean of the NPUST College of Agriculture, back to the campus. President Chang also emphasized that “both parties would focus on carbon reduction, smart production, and talent cultivation, and would encourage all colleges to actively participate. We expect that by applying the school’s experimental results to Tai Sugar’s large-scale operations, we can jointly ignite a torch of hope for technological transformation and sustainable development in Taiwan’s agricultural sector.”

Taiwan Sugar Chairman Ming-Chang Wu shared that he “served in NPUST for more than 38 years and has deep feelings and gratitude for the school”. He also emphasized that “Taiwan Sugar’s business operations span biotechnology, livestock, land development and tourism. Not only does it have vast resources and international connections, but also actively invests in research and development, and depends on the professional talent and R&D capabilities of various fields at the university. I sincerely invite teachers from my alma mater to participate in in-depth industry-university cooperation with Taiwan Sugar so we can combine the strengths of both parties, and jointly create fruitful and marketable results, fulfilling social responsibilities, and carrying forward the school’s research and development capabilities.”

The two parties signed the MOC to formalize their shared determination to join hands in the low-carbon transformation effort, and bring into play the strengths of industry and academia cooperation.

At the donation ceremony which was held on May 14, 2025, NPUST President Chin-Lung Chang expressed his gratitude to Watt Solid State Lighting, saying “these LED street lights have excellent energy-saving benefits and match well with concepts that the university has been promoting for many years, including both Green university policies and sustainable development. What is even more valuable is that they can be monitored in real time and automatically adjusted through the Internet of Things according to sunlight intensity. They are also being used in agriculture research and have helped improve research and teaching efficiency. We hope that both sides can work together on more levels in the future to create a sustainable future.”

The general manager of Watt Solid State Lighting expressed that he was “very honored to have the opportunity to give back to NPUST, and would also like to thank Assistant Professor Hsing-Ying Chung from the Department of Plant Industry for holding exchanges and providing technical guidance. We are very pleased to see that our products can play a role in daily campus life and scientific research. We look forward to deepening our cooperation in the future and jointly promoting green innovation.”

The smart LED street lights donated by Watt are equipped with sensing and energy-saving technologies. Their features include automatic light adjustment, long operating life, high brightness and low power consumption. By effectively reducing energy usage, they embody concepts of environmental protection. The smart sensing functions can automatically adjust the lighting intensity according to the ambient brightness and human traffic, giving consideration to both safety and efficiency. With the support of Walt Solid State Lighting, NPUST has improved its campus environment and is also expanding its industry-university cooperation and practice of social responsibility.

Bletilla formosana is a perennial herbaceous orchid plant possessing pseudobulbs that can be used as Chinese medicinal materials. Currently, researchers have already laid a solid foundation for the cultivation of this plant variety by establishing effective tissue culture propagation and cultivation technology. The other plant of focus, Gynostemma pentaphyllum, is a perennial vine plant. Its leaves are commonly used by Chinese people to make tea—and because of its appearance and efficacy, it has acquired the nickname “Southern Ginseng”. In 2024, the research team completed an evaluation these two varieties and confirmed their economic potential as under-forest products. The completed evaluation was submitted to the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency for review, and on February 12, 2025 they were officially added as new under-forest economic crops. With their inclusion on the list, they will be promoted in various places in the future to drive the economic development of mountain villages and allow Taiwan’s forestry industry to move towards a more diversified and sustainable future.

With a forest coverage of over 61%, Taiwan has nurtured a rich ecological environment. However, since the government banned the logging of natural forests in 1991, forestry production has been affected, and forest farmers’ incomes have decreased. The management and renewal of artificial forests also faces a number of challenges, and so, in order to revitalize the forestry industry and promote sustainable forest development, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency has been promoting the Under-Forest Economies since 2017, encouraging forest farmers to use the forest environment to develop suitable cash crops while taking ecological conservation into account. By developing under-forest economies appropriately, Taiwan will be able to take advantage of different climate and environmental conditions to develop diverse and high-quality economic products, thereby creating new sources of income for forest farmers while also maintaining forest ecosystems through the practice of sustainable management.

The unveiling ceremony coincided with an achievements exhibition and trial sale for several innovative products. Among them included a Chinese goldthread essential oil jointly developed by NPUST, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, and Canjune using environmentally friendly technology. Another, dubbed the “Six Consorts”, is an essential oil created by the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency and Yuo Tzy to highlight the local features of the Liugui while harnessing the natural antioxidants and skin care properties its local Neolitsea parvigemma tree. The products were developed based on environmentally friendly principles, and adopt essential oil extraction technology and methods which are non-harmful to trees. Through the project, and the cooperation between industry, government, and academia, the parties are helping to injecting new impetus into the local green economy. A representative from NPUST stated that the cooperative’s goal is to implement the concept of “local connection and sustainable development” while exploring new opportunities for local specialty industries in Liugui. They will also work to innovate new products and discover new biological resources which can be used to expand local development. Hopes are to market Liugui’s products in such a way that people will be inspired to visit the forests of Liugui, and allow green industries in the area to flourish.

In Pingtung, NPUST also arranged a visit to Ming Chuan Organic Leisure Farm, founded by alumni Wu Jianming and Hsieh Mei-Lin. The farm, which was once engaged in traditional agricultural production, later made a transition to organic farming and ecological tourism. For the visitors, it was an excellent chance to witness one of the school’s successful cases of promoting diversified agricultural practices and innovative business models. During the time at the farm, teachers and students from Guam took part a DIY pineapple cake making activity, and got a feel for the advantages of NPUST when it comes to practical operations and the integration of alumni resources. Afterwards, Director Ke-Chung Peng of the NPUST Bachelor Program in Scientific Agriculture arranged for students from his department to host a reception dinner at one of the schools practice orchards. Through lively conversations and T-shirt exchanges, members of the two schools enjoyed a solid time of exchange and narrowed the distance between each other. While at the campus, the visitors from Guam also visited NPUST’s prestigious Wildlife Shelter Center, and listened to the stories of the animals which were bred and abandoned due to human carelessness. The Guam students were so deeply moved that they decided to make a donation to help with the conservation efforts. At the end of the exchange, the visitors from Guam had a chance to experience the entire process of making chocolate at the Cocoa Classroom in the Smart Agriculture Center. Starting with Taiwan’s local cocoa beans, the participants gained an in-depth understanding of every step in the production process from the field to the table. All in all, the exchange activity was fruitful for both sides, fostering a deeper friendship and richer academic connection between the teachers and students of the two countries. It was also a chance for NPUST to apply its strengths in the area of international cooperation, and to share its approach to diversified practical learning and innovative development, as it continues to promote the country’s development vision of “prosperity for the island’s south through smart sustainability”.

The Agricultural Association of Taiwan (originally the Chinese Society of Agricultural Sciences) was founded in January of 1917 with the mission to promote agronomy and agricultural innovation. It is the oldest organization for agricultural academics in Taiwan. In order to commend members who have made outstanding contributions to agriculture, the association has created several awards, including the “Agricultural Academics Award”, “Agricultural Career Award” and “Outstanding Agricultural Grassroots Personnel Award”, which are presented each year at the Annual Agricultural Association Joint Forum. The 2024 forum was held on November 29 at National Taiwan University in the Institute of Applied Mechanics International Conference Hall. Professor Win-Ton Cheng of the NPUST Department of Aquaculture attended the forum to receive the award. Professor Win-Ton Cheng has taught at NPUST for 40 years and has been focused on research that aligns with the development of Taiwan’s aquaculture industries. At the 43rd Outstanding Agricultural Specialist Awards, Cheng was named one of the Top Ten Outstanding Agricultural Experts. Professor Cheng’s long-term research has both industrial application and academic reference value and his name can be found on the 2024 World’s Top 2% Scientists list, as well as the 2022-2024 Best Biology and Biochemistry Scientist rankings published by Research.com.

The core philosophy of the alliance is based on “improving professional knowledge”, “maintaining brand value”, “promoting industrial development” and “promoting domestic and international exchanges”. The alliance has also formulated seven guiding principles to cover cooperation and exchange, talent cultivation, resource integration, marketing & promotion, policy participation, and international exchange. Hopes are that through the joint efforts of the alliance, they will be able to push ecotourism to the next level.

In her speech, Acting Director CJ Chen of the National Parks Services said that “ecotourism emphasizes a harmonious relationship between man and nature. Through guided tours, tourists are able to learn about the beauty and importance of ecology and recognize the significance of ecological protection and the inheritance of cultural resources. The establishment of the alliance will allow for effective integration of resources so that we can achieve an all-around-win situation for tourism, conservation, and local development, while also cooperating with national policies to develop low-carbon tourism”.

NPUST President Chin-Lung Chang said: “National Pingtung University of Science and Technology has long been engaged in educational research related to environmental sustainability and ecological conservation, and is committed to practicing university social responsibility. We will continue to exert our academic strengths to support the development of the alliance, and will work with all sectors to help Taiwan’s rural areas to become suitable for happy living. “

At the event, smart forestry technology and environmentally friendly creative handicrafts were on display. The university’s Vice President for Administration, Wen-Ling Shi, and the founder of Ching Jing Lin Education Foundation, Cong-Lin Lin, jointly opened the event, and welcomed the many participants, including representatives of NPUST, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, Ching Jing Lin Education Foundation, Agricultural Bank of Taiwan, Land Bank of Taiwan, Taichung Bank, Taiwan Corporate Bank, SinoPac Securities, Sunny Bank, Hua Nan Bank, Chang Hwa Bank, Taipei Fubon, Mega Bank, Cooperative Bank, and Kaohsiung Bank.

In her opening speech, NPUST Vice President Wen-Ling Shi said “the Department of Forestry and the Ching Jing Lin Foundation have been jointly holding afforestation activities since 2018. Over the past six years, 10,000 Taiwanese native trees have been planted at our school’s two forest farms, covering an area of ​​10 hectares. These activities are in line with global sustainable development goals, including net-zero carbon emissions and biodiversity conservation. They are also a demonstration of ‘university social responsibility’ in practice.”

Cong-Lin Lin, the founder of the Ching Jing Lin, said in his speech: “As an alumni of the NPUST Forestry Department with the desire to give back to society and my alma mater, we have joined hands with the Department of Forestry to organize afforestation and greening activities. We hope by taking these real actions we can contribute to ecological conservation and net-zero emissions. We are also providing scholarships for young students so that through a cycle of contributing back to society and our alma mater, these things can continue to the next generation.”

The event attracted around 400 parents and children, who came to participate. Through environmental education activities like this one, children have the opportunity develop environmentally friendly practices from an early age. At the “Senlin People” event many trees were planted, but also, by introducing innovative technology for smart forestry development to the public and spreading the mindset of environmental education, many seeds were planted for better tomorrow based on sustainable co-prosperity.

Assistant Professor Hsin-Ju Wu has been assisting the Pingtung Branch of the (MOA) Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency since 2018 with work being done in Laiyi Township, Pingtung County and Namasia District, Kaohsiung City. Based on local customs and with respect for the traditional culture of local tribes, Wu and her partners established a township-wide traditional hunting culture association that is dedicated to resolving conflicts related to wild animals and human activity in Taiwan. She has also been using her professional knowledge to help the country create a hunting management system for effective governance and sustainability. Wu currently has the largest long-term wildlife monitoring and hunting data set in Taiwan. With cooperation from indigenous villages, Wu is working to improve wildlife habitats, patrol forests, promote friendly traps, and collect wild boar samples to help the government prevent foot-and-mouth disease and African swine fever.

Assistant Professor Wu’s master’s and doctoral studies focused on wild boar biology and ecological conservation. After graduation, she worked as a professional mountain guide for several years, which gave her a unique perspective and understanding of wildlife conservation and community development. Her efforts are not only enhancing the cultural identity of local communities, but are also making important contributions to ecological conservation in Taiwan. The award is well deserved and expectations are that she will continue to see significant achievements in the future.

With the funding from the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (Ministry of Agriculture) and professional consultation and guidance from National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST), local residents have been participating in the 2023~2024 local creation project designed to upgrade the under-forest economic activities while also promoting the construction of “Domestic Timber Workshop” and “Mudan Township Forestry Materials Gasification Power Generation System”—thus becoming the first township-level forest biomass energy recycling site in the country.

When explaining the results of the project, Professor Mei-Hui Chen from NPUST said “the under-forest economies currently being promoted in Mudan Township include shiitake mushrooms cultivation, beekeeping, and tribal forest chicken raising. However, while developing friendly agriculture, in order to develop in a sustainable manner, we must increase the output value of eco-tourism. Under the Mudan Township Local Creation Project 2.0, the Domestic Timber Workshop approved the establishment of an environmental education site. In addition to agricultural production, it will also serve as an important place for educational activities. Hopes are that in the future, a series of products can be put together to serve as the featured area of development for tribal culture and that it can become an important base for cultivating a new generation of under-forest talent”.