The 2024 Global Views University Social Responsibility Award shortlist was announced on February 20. Tamkang University's USR project, "Tamsui Good Life: Creative Design Action Inspired by Mountains, Sea, and River" (淡水好生活：山海河賦創設計行動) has been nominated in the Local Integration category with the initiative "Post-Pandemic Resilient Commercial District Development: 2023 Tamsui Life Festival." (疫後韌性商圈營造策略：2023淡水生活節) The project "Digitally Discovering the Charm of the North Tamsui: An Integrated Land and Sea Travel Experience" (淡北風情e線牽、海陸旅遊全體驗) has also been nominated in the Industry Co-creation category with the initiative "Sino-French War Huwei Banquet." (清法戰爭滬尾宴)
The "Tamsui Life Festival: Tamsui Flavorful and Leisurely TAMSUI LIFE STYLE," (2023年淡水生活節：淡味漫慢蔓TAMSUI LIFE STYLE) jointly organized by Tamkang University's USR project “Tamsui Good Life”, Tamsui Business District Cultural Tourism Association, and Tamsui Community College, took place from November 11 to 19 last year. The event featured a total of 6 major themes, discussing various issues closely related to Tamsui, aiming to encourage everyone to step out of their homes, get closer to this city of mountains, rivers, and seas, and enjoy the beauty that belongs to everyone. Professor Rui-Mao Huang, Principal Investigator of the project and Chief of the Social Practice Strategy Section at the Center for Sustainable Development and Social Innovation, stated that previous USR projects were exhibited separately on the old streets, while the Tamsui Life Festival serves as a platform for all USR projects to participate in planning together. In the future, they will continue to transform street spaces so that more teachers from various disciplines can utilize these locations for exhibition purposes.
The "Huwei Banquet" has been planned since 2020, drawing inspiration from the Battle of Tamsui during the Sino-French War in 1884, presenting the unique historical background through 11 exquisite dishes. Subsequently, multiple routes for walking tours were developed, allowing participants to explore different attractions in Tamsui by bicycle, walking, or boat and understand their historical significance. The team also designed related merch for everyone to obtain. Co-PI of the North Tamsui project and professor of history, Dr. Chi-Lin Lee, expressed his hope that students from the history department could integrate stories into the banquet using their relevant knowledge and expertise because history can be learned not only in the classroom but also through dining tables and outdoor experiences. "Among the entries nominated this time, our collaboration with the catering industry may not compete with the integration of other groups with hi-tech industries, but it cannot be denied that 'food is essential for the people.' As long as historical content is incorporated into cuisine, cultural promotion won't lose to high technology.” He plans to promote Tamsui's history through online marketing and design multilingual versions of walking tours to allow more people to learn about Tamsui's history.
Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Hui-Huang Hsu, first acknowledged the proposals of the 2 project teams, recognizing that standing out among multiple competitors through cooperation with local businesses and organizations and innovatively incorporating history into dining is challenging. He expressed anticipation for positive outcomes. He then mentioned that Tamkang University has 5 projects approved in the third phase of the USR Program launched by the Ministry of Education. Each project presented its content and achievements at the results exchange meeting on February 21. Many distinctive features and highlights impressed him, giving him a better understanding of the project content and boosting his confidence in applying for the fourth phase of the USR Program. He hopes to secure more funding to aid in project promotion. At the same time, he hopes to involve more teachers to educate students about local issues and problem-solving through project implementation. Dr. Hsu emphasized that Tamkang University actively promotes projects, including USR, teaching practice research, competency-based education, and bilingualism. The aim is to integrate innovative teaching into the curriculum, revolutionize university education, and present a more innovative teaching approach that spans various aspects.
