During this year's summer vacation, 10 student service teams stepped beyond the classroom and engaged in service activities on campuses, in local communities, and in international settings, transforming their academic knowledge into meaningful action. Among them, the GSIP Global Service Internship Program Team from the Department of Global Politics and Economics, the "Economics and Education" Team from the Department of Economics, and the Cambodia Service-Learning Team organized by the Extracurricular Activities Guidance Section traveled abroad to participate in cross-cultural exchanges. Through hands-on engagement and practical experience, these students brought the spirit of service to life, making it a meaningful and tangible part of their university education.
▌Global Politics and Economics Department’s GSIP Takes Students into NGOs in Thailand and Malaysia to Reflect on Democracy Firsthand
Since 2015, the Department of Global Politics and Economics has promoted the Global Service Internship Program (GSIP), taking students to NGOs in Asian countries. Through hands-on participation and cross-cultural exchange, students apply what they learned in the classroom to real-world social contexts. This summer, four students received funding from the Ministry of Education’s New Southbound Study Abroad Dream-Building Program, while one student participated at their own expense. On June 23, they departed for ANFREL in Thailand and BERSIH in Malaysia, respectively, to begin a 30-day summer internship.
Department Chair Wei-Hsiu Lin explained that when students study democracy and elections in the classroom, they often try to develop a genuine sense of what these concepts mean simply by reading textbooks. Only by immersing themselves in local communities and engaging with NGO partners can they understand the differences in democratic development and maturity among countries. This year’s program coincided with a state election in Malaysia, allowing students to observe campaign activities firsthand. They also collected information on “street movements across generations,” exploring why younger generations, despite appearing indifferent to public affairs, are still willing to take to the streets. Lin encouraged students to make full use of the New Southbound resources the department obtained, strengthen their language skills in an all-English environment, and boldly step outside their comfort zones.
▌Economics Department’s “Economics and Education” Visits Sri Lanka, Exploring Sustainable Living Through Water Resources
Professor Yen-Ling Lin of the Department of Economics led 17 members of the “Economics and Education” team to Colombo, Sri Lanka's capital, from July 5 to 19. The trip combined the Ministry of Education’s “International Sustainability and Social Innovation Talent Development Program” with her course on “Circular Economics.” Through field visits, the team explored water resource management and sustainable development, examined Sri Lanka’s recovery since the 2022 economic crisis, and observed how sustainability concepts are put into practice in local communities and everyday life.
Lin explained that the greatest challenge was the high degree of uncertainty. Due to last-minute changes in the country’s visa policy, the team immediately began calling upon arrival to confirm each day’s itinerary as quickly as possible. As they visited different institutions and sites, the issues they set out to explore gradually became more concrete. She expressed particular gratitude to the chairman of a local water technology company for his introductions and arrangements, which enabled the team to travel deep into the central mountainous region and visit a century-old rainwater collection reservoir that uses traditional sedimentation and filtration techniques while maintaining a stable water supply. Through firsthand observation of daily life and practical technologies, the students gained a deeper understanding of the relationship between water resource utilization and sustainability.
▌Cambodia Service-Learning Team Engages Local Communities Through Teaching and Cross-Cultural Exchange
The long-running Cambodia Service-Learning Team once again carried out its annual service mission from July 13 to 28 under the theme “我寨這裡柬單愛.” Seven international volunteers traveled to Kampot Province, Cambodia, to provide Chinese-language and computer education. With 21 local interpreters, the program attracted more than 250 schoolchildren. Through classes, games, and cultural exchanges, the team accompanied the children as they explored the joy of learning.
The Service-Learning Team conducted activities at several locations, including Lotus Buddhist Temple, Liyuan Buddhist Temple, Sude Wenci International Foreign Languages School, and Peng’s Buddhist Hall. Chinese-language classes, computer classes, and teacher-training courses were designed according to participants’ ages and Chinese proficiency levels. The Chinese courses incorporated songs, games, physical activities, and handicrafts, allowing students to use Chinese through interactive learning. The computer classes focused on ChatGPT and Canva, introducing students to digital tools and guiding them in creating and delivering presentations. The teacher-training course centered on the song “Grandma’s Penghu Bay,” extending into lessons on vocabulary, directions, and tourist attractions in Taiwan and Cambodia. The program aims to train local seed teachers and establish a sustainable foundation for Chinese-language education in the community.
