This summer, the Taiwan Tech University Social Responsibility (USR) project team, Cultivating π-Shaped Talent through Urban–Mountain Sustainability: Engaging with Southern Communities, Connecting Internationally and Embedding Social Responsibility, returned to Upper Pisang, a village in Nepal’s Annapurna region. Led by Professor Po-Chien Hsiao of the Department of Civil and Construction Engineering, the team included Professor Fu-Chen Teng, Associate Professor Meng-Han Tsai, and Dr Chen-Chieh Hsu, who has participated in the project since 2024 as a doctoral student in the Department of Architecture and is now an Assistant Professor at National United University. Together, they led 11 Taiwan Tech students in continuing their cross-border efforts in community revitalisation and disaster preparedness education. This year’s initiatives achieved several tangible outcomes. The Pisang Story House was officially completed and opened to the public, digital technologies were introduced to support local tourism development, and academic dialogue with Kathmandu University was further strengthened. These achievements demonstrate Taiwan Tech’s long-term commitment to fulfilling its social responsibilities and building lasting international partnerships.

Group photo at the opening of the Pisang Story House.

Since first conducting a field visit to Upper Pisang in early 2022, the team has been committed to revitalising the village’s century-old traditional houses. Following years of restoration work and preparation, the Pisang Story House, which preserves the community’s cultural memories, was officially opened in 2026. In addition to retaining the architectural character of a traditional mountain village and improving the surrounding recreational facilities, the Story House has become an important meeting place connecting local residents with international visitors. It is bringing renewed vitality and new opportunities for community revitalisation to this high-altitude settlement.

A commemorative plaque at the left side of the entrance to the Pisang Story House recognises the collaboration between Taiwan Tech’s USR project and the Zhuzhu Mama Children's Education and Care Association.

To further stimulate economic activity and tourism in Upper Pisang, the team comprehensively upgraded the local visitor experience this year. In addition to installing metal tourist information signs at local attractions to provide visitors with clear directions and guidance, the team expanded its efforts to digital and multimedia promotion. Faculty members and students helped establish a tourism information website for the Pisang area and filmed and produced promotional videos. By combining physical signage with digital platforms, the initiative is bringing the magnificent mountain scenery and rich cultural heritage of Upper Pisang to an international audience while significantly enhancing the village’s visibility and making it more convenient for visitors to explore.

The café at the Pisang Story House, combining spectacular mountain views with wooden design.

In disaster preparedness education, the team continued to tailor its initiatives to the area's distinctive mountainous terrain and settlement patterns, extending its efforts to the nearby Manang Primary School. In view of the area's earthquake potential and exposure to natural hazards, Taiwan Tech students organised disaster preparedness lessons for local children. Through interactive games and practical exercises that combined learning with fun, the students helped children develop essential knowledge and skills in self-protection, evacuation and emergency response. The initiative aims to build disaster awareness from the school level and strengthen the resilience of the wider community in the face of potential disasters.

Educational activity on identifying safe evacuation locations.

In terms of academic exchange, the Taiwan Tech team, led by its faculty members, once again visited Kathmandu University this year for in-depth academic discussions. Both sides held lively discussions on engineering technologies, disaster prevention and mitigation research, and bilateral international collaboration. The visit consolidated their existing partnership and laid a stronger foundation for future research resource sharing and the development of internationally minded talent.

Academic exchange between faculty members and students from Taiwan Tech and the Department of Civil Engineering at Kathmandu University.

The successful implementation of this cross-border initiative would not have been possible without the longstanding support of the Zhuzhu Mama Children's Education and Care Association, a Taipei-based non-profit organisation. The association has consistently assisted the team with international communication and helped overcome language and cultural barriers, enabling faculty members and students to engage more effectively with the local community. Meanwhile, GO-IN Engineering Co., Ltd. has continued to contribute corporate resources and, this year, provided essential electrical infrastructure for the Pisang Story House. Working alongside the USR team, the company has helped bring about tangible and lasting improvements for the community. Through cross-sector collaboration among industry, academia and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), Taiwan Tech faculty members and students have put the project's core philosophy of being "people-centred and learning from the local community" into practice in a real-world setting. Moving forward, the team will continue to integrate initiatives in education, tourism and cultural preservation, working hand in hand with local residents towards sustainable development.

The project has also received generous support from businesses and alumni, whose donations have provided substantial resources for its continued implementation. Supporters include Lee Shinn Group, Tung Wei Construction Co., Ltd., Fu Tsu Construction Co., Ltd., and the Department of Civil and Construction Engineering Alumni Association. The project team sincerely appreciates the encouragement and contributions of all supporters. Their generosity enables the team to continue applying its professional expertise in the community and to deepen the impact of its USR initiatives.