The Center for General Education at Taiwan Tech held the “2025 General Education is Priceless” Awards Ceremony on November 7, recognizing outstanding students and faculty in the “General Education Reflection Essay Contest” and the “Most Popular General Education Teacher” voting activities. Through on-site sharing and teaching feedback, the event showcased Taiwan Tech’s achievements in promoting general education and highlighted the university’s vibrant humanities and learning culture.

The Center for General Education at Taiwan Tech held the “2025 General Education is Priceless” Awards Ceremony, recognizing outstanding students and faculty in the “General Education Reflection Essay Contest” and the “Most Popular General Education Teacher” voting activities.

President Jia-Yush Yen praised, “Taiwan Tech cannot do without general education courses; rather than being the school’s ‘green leaves’, they are like vibrant red flowers.” He emphasized that general education is not merely a supplement to professional disciplines, but a crucial foundation for cultivating critical thinking and humanistic concern. He also expressed gratitude to the Center for General Education for its long-term efforts in offering diverse courses that help students continue exploring the humanities and social sciences. President Yen further commended all faculty and students involved in teaching and submitting work, noting that their contributions enrich the depth and breadth of Taiwan Tech’s learning environment.

President Jia-Yush Yen described general education as “like vibrant red flowers,” emphasizing its importance.

Director Shih-Hong You of the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences also emphasized the importance of general education in his speech, stating, “The usefulness of what seems useless is the greatest usefulness. Many people think general education courses are just ‘credit padding,’ but they often have the greatest impact at life’s turning points.” He encouraged students to experience and discover the value and potential of general education throughout their learning journey.

Director Shih-Hong You of the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences stated, “The usefulness of what seems useless is the greatest usefulness,” encouraging students to experience and discover the value and potential of general education throughout their learning.

In this year’s “General Education Reflection Essay Contest”, students’ submissions showcased diverse perspectives and deep insights. Hsing-Lin Tsai, a student from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, won first place for her reflection on the course Film Art Appreciation. She shared, “After three years at Taiwan Tech, I am finally receiving this award from the President. I am also grateful to Professor Ju-Yang Fu for allowing me to appreciate films from different perspectives.” Second place went to Ya-Chu Chang from the Department of Chemical Engineering. She noted that Professor Hong-Cheng Chang’s course Gender and Law encouraged students to think beyond conventional frameworks, broadening her understanding of gender issues.

Prizewinner Ya-Chu Chang (center) took a photo with President Jia-Yush Yen (left) and course instructor Professor Hong-Cheng Chang (right) at the “General Education Reflection Essay Contest.”

In the “Most Popular General Education Teacher” voting, this year’s awards were presented as follows: the “Popular Teacher Award” for Chinese-taught courses went to Professors Shin-Yang Huang, Pei-Chen Yeh, Mei-Fang Shih, and Tsan-Yu Hsieh; the “Cultural Coexistence Award” for EMI (English-medium instruction) courses was awarded to Professor Wen-Ya Peng for her Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine course; and the “Sustainable Development Award” went to Professor Yi-Chen Lin, who teaches Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Development and Art and Public Space. All six faculty members are highly skilled educators, and their courses are widely appreciated by students.

Teachers Huang Hsin-yang (first left), Yeh Pei-chen (second left), Shih Mei-fang (second right), and Hsieh Tsan-yu (first right) won the "Most Popular Teacher Award" for the Chinese General Education course.

Director Sy-Ying Lee of the Center for General Education stated that “General Education is Priceless” not only allows students to reflect on their learning journey through writing, but also provides teachers with insights from student feedback, creating a positive learning cycle. The center plans to continue promoting interdisciplinary courses and expanding the range of activities, deepening the impact of general education and helping students achieve a balance between rational thinking and humanistic values, cultivating a new generation of talents with cross-disciplinary perspectives.

The “General Education is Priceless” initiative highlights that Taiwan Tech values not only professional skills but also humanistic literacy and diverse learning experiences. From student course feedback to faculty teaching refinement, Taiwan Tech’s general education demonstrates in practice that “learning is more than acquiring knowledge - it is a journey of humanity, creativity, and personal growth.”

Director Sy-Ying Lee of the Center for General Education stated that “General Education is Priceless” not only allows students to reflect on their learning journey through writing, but also provides teachers with insights from student feedback, creating a positive learning cycle.