【Article by International College of Innovation】

On November 24, 2025, the International College of Innovation (ICI) hosted the “USR Joint Proposal Showcase Day” at the International Building. This collaborative event brought together students and faculty from five distinct courses—Sustainable Business Strategy, Resistance in Theory and Practice, Sustainable Development and Urban Politics, Global Civil Movements, and Capstone: Migration Studies—to exchange project findings and foster social awareness under the umbrella of the University Social Responsibility (USR) project.

From Awareness to Action: Student Project Highlights

The showcase began with an innovative ice-breaker where students presented meaningful objects related to their research. A student from Turkey, enrolled in the Resistance course, shared a traditional prayer book linked to the Dervish resistance movements of Caucasus-Kurdistan history, setting a tone of deep cultural and historical inquiry.

Following the introductions, students organized into cross-disciplinary groups to present their semester-long projects. Students from the Capstone: Migration Studies course, including international student Rico Samuel, promoted “From Awareness to Action.” This project is designed as an instructional camp for high school students to foster empathy and critical thinking regarding the challenges faced by migrant workers in Taiwan. Another team from the Resistance in Theory and Practice course presented a collective historical fiction novel. Their stories spanned hundreds of years and multiple continents, from Southeast Asia to South America, connecting global narratives of revolution and defiance through creative storytelling. Students from the Sustainable Business Strategy course, presented research on the Wanhua district, highlighting environmental concerns and local social issues.

A Taste of Regional Revitalization

The event concluded with a social gathering featuring locally sourced food and drinks from Taipei’s Wanhua district. This was not merely a catering choice but a deliberate extension of the USR project’s focus on regional revitalization. By enjoying refreshments from Wanhua, students transitioned from academic presentations to a “hands-on” experience of supporting the local economy and community identity they had studied in the classroom.

Student Reflections

The exchange left a lasting impression on participants, who valued the opportunity to see how different academic lenses can be applied to real-world community issues. Julian, a student from the Resistance in Theory and Practice course, was moved by the practical application of the research. “It’s interesting to see the other USR courses; they had spent the semester devising projects that target the community actively. Hearing about their fieldwork of meeting the locals about their issues was very eye-opening,” he shared. Vanessa, also from the Resistance course, highlighted the importance of the Wanhua and Migration projects. “I was honestly really excited about seeing everyone’s projects. Some really stood out to me, especially the ones that focused on certain local issues. One class studied the issues in the Wanhua area, like environmental problems and even inconveniences like bad smells, which I thought was important to raise more awareness about. Another project talked about migrant workers and the struggles they face regarding permanent residency or protesting for change.”

The ICI USR Joint Proposal Showcase Day successfully provided a platform for international and local students to engage with the social fabric of Taiwan, proving that academic learning is most powerful when it moves beyond the classroom and into the community.

For further information on the Inclusive Innovation USR Project:
https://nccu-immigrants-digital-marketing.weebly.com/