Every two years National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST) publishes a Sustainability Report to keep its stakeholders and the general public informed about its efforts and performances in sustainable governance, financial management, environmental sustainability and social co-prosperity. The school also responds to the interests and concerns that stakeholders raise when it comes to sustainability issues. NPUST’s “2022 Sustainability Report” was submitted to the 2023 TCSA Taiwan Corporate Sustainability Awards, where it won the gold medal for the “University Sustainability Report” category. Such an honor is a clear affirmation of the efforts the university is making in environmental sustainability (E), social responsibility (S) and school governance (G).
In order to comply with sustainable development trends, NPUST began integrating the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into its medium and long-term development plans in 2015, while promoting “technological agriculture”, “ecological industry”, “platinum society” and “sustainable economies” as its four main areas of application. Adding to this, it recently began emphasizing sustainability in production, ecology, and life and applying the concept “one health” to its development strategy.
The results of the efforts NPUST has been making have been marked by continuous success. In terms of “university governance”, year after year NPUST has been among the top twenty universities according to Cheers Magazine and Global Views Magazine, and has consistently been in the top 7 among technical universities in the country. Out of the 149 colleges and universities across the Taiwan, these results are quite impressive.
In terms of environmental sustainability, NPUST has been actively and effectively working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by investing school funds into several research centers related to carbon inventory and circular economies. It has also planted thousands of trees to help reduce carbon in the atmosphere and is continually working on innovative technologies to help industries operate more sustainability. The results of the work have helped NPUST continually hold first place in the country for 9 consecutive years on the GreenMetric World University Rankings. In 2022, on the same ranking, NPUST placed 27th globally, competing against 1,050 schools in 85 countries, and was ranked 3rd in all of Asia.
The university has been deeply involved in social responsibility for many years, playing the role of think tank for the local area, assisting with community innovation and development, and serving as a partner to urban and rural settlements—and it has repeatedly won awards for its efforts. For example, in 2021, NPUST won first prize in the Ecological Common Good category at the Global Views Magazine USR Awards, in 2022 it won the first prize in the Technical and Vocational group and the “Model Award” in the Ecological Common Good category, and in 2023 it won the first prize in the Green Campus category and “Model Award” in the Welfare and Symbiosis group.
NPUST’s president, Chin-Lung Chang, said that the sustainability report demonstrates the school’s determination and innovation in sustainable development, and also exhibits its foresight and commitment towards the cause. NPUST will continue to promote SDGs, expand social influence, raise public awareness, and work to move society towards a sustainable future.
