The Office of Research and Development, Center for European Union Studies, and the Department of Physics jointly hosted the 2023 Sustainable Development Summit on May 3rd in the Chang Yeo Lan International Conference Hall of Hsu Shou-Chlien International Conference Center. Academic Vice President and Director of the Center for Sustainable Development and Social Innovation (SDSI) Hui-Huang Hsu, Secretary General Ay-Hwa Andy Liou, Chief Secretary of the Board of Directors Wen-Chih Huang, Director of the Carrie Chang Fine Arts Center Ben-Hang Chang, Chief Audit Executive Der-Wen Chang, first- and second-level supervisors, government and corporate representatives, teachers, and students, totaling over 200 participants, were present.

The morning session's theme is "Sustainability and Innovation." Dr. Hui-Huang Hsu began by introducing SDSI, emphasizing that besides nurturing talents, universities should also contribute to society. The recent approval of the university's grant for promoting social responsibility is a significant affirmation. Going forward, the university will strive to achieve net-zero carbon emissions, establish teams dedicated to sustainability, and encourage all faculty and students to join hands in building a sustainable campus. Following this, an award ceremony for outstanding teachers in the 110th academic year's research projects was held, with Dr. Hsu presenting certificates to the winning teachers on behalf of the university.

The keynote speech was delivered by Dr. Minn-Tsong Lin, Deputy Minister of NSTC. The topic is "How Sustainability and Innovation Dance Hand in Hand—With Reference to the Transformation of Research and Teaching in Universities." Dr. Lin began by emphasizing that "sustainability" is not only connected to "environmental protection" but also closely related to energy, carbon reduction, labor, and socio-economic factors, encompassing a wide range of areas. He particularly highlighted that "the foundation of innovation lies in equal discussions, which is currently an area where Taiwan needs to make efforts."

Furthermore, Dr. Lin discussed the shift in mindset and emphasized that "innovation is a long-term endeavor. We should understand the needs of the majority and follow the trends of the times in order to maintain a competitive edge." He also reminds not to forget about "locality" and "specificity." For example, science parks should strive to be "small and exquisite" while embracing diversity, aiming to achieve both local connections and energy-efficient sustainability. Lastly, Dr. Lin invited everyone to actively participate in the "Taiwan Sustainable Hub," a platform that connects knowledge, policies, and governance to promote Taiwan's sustainable transformation. "We must engage in equal discussions through this platform to influence campuses, society, and even the nation. It is through interdisciplinary collaboration that we can achieve greater impact."

The afternoon session's theme is "Initiating Industrial Upgrading, Transformation, and Achieving Net-Zero Carbon Emissions—Towards Sustainability." It featured presentations by Mr. Michael Yen, Chief of the Industrial Policy Division at the Industrial Development Bureau, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Dr. Li-Chuan Chen, Director of the Center for EU Studies at our university, Dr. Chi-Wang Li, the Head of the Net-Zero Carbon Emissions Section at SDSI, and Dr. Sue-Huai Gau, Specially Appointed Professor from the Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering. They respectively discussed topics such as how the government assists industries in achieving sustainable transformation, the progress and current situation of carbon reduction initiatives in Europe, how to achieve water resource recycling and utilization, as well as the university's efforts and achievements in promoting sustainability. The industry-government-academia panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Hsu, invited representatives from industry, government, and academia to share their perspectives on how to promote, implement, and participate in achieving net-zero carbon emissions. It is hoped that the three parties can collaborate fully and work towards the goal of "Net-Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050."