Nurturing outstanding graduates as international talents as well as contributors to
the country and society: the 2017 commencement of Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology

Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology held its 2016 commencement on June 10 for as many as 4,551 graduating students. Unlike the previous year, the school held an outdoor graduation ceremony so that all the teachers, students, guests, and parents could gather together. President Tsai and Vice President Chen sent telegrams to express their blessing with sincerity to all graduate, hoping that they would in the future have innovate cross-domain learning, gain diversified skills training, deepen the humanities value in science and technology and light themselves up with courage and enthusiasm. They also wished all the graduating students realizing their ideal vision of life. President Tai, former President Chang, late Chairman of Legislative Yuan Jin-Ping Wang, Former Chairman of the National Alumni Association Wen-Long Chang, and other VIPs gave their blessings to all the graduates, hoping that they would contribute significantly to the national community and become positive and constructive in their future lives.. The Commencement was given the theme "Strong, Success, and Satisfaction," with outstanding faculties and graduates coming into the venue and led by flags of all the departments in the ceremony. All these created a sense of consolidation and honor, symbolizing that the graduates would soon face an infinite future, challenges, and dreams in their lives.

【The 2017 commencement of Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology.】

President Tai said that Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology has been founded nearly 48 years. Throughout all the robust development and different phases, each school performance was well recognized by the Ministry of Education, parents, and the community. Since 2006, STUST has been given a total of $NT 813 million by the Ministry of Education through its "Teaching Excellence Program" grants, with a total sum of subsidy ranked second among universities of science and technology nation-wide. It was recognized as a model for universities of science and technology in 2012 by the Ministry of Education. From 2013 to 2017, the Ministry of Education granted it a total of $NT 429 million through its "University of Science and Technology Development Model Plan.” According to Cheers magazine survey on favorite universities for enterprises, STUST has been honored as their favorite private　university for 8 consecutive years (2009-2016). It was listed on the TOP 20 universities for its remarkable progress in performance assessment. In 2016, STUST won the American InBIA review, ranked first in the best university incubators of the year (Best University Incubator); it is the first Taiwan incubation Center to have obtained this award. In 2015, the Ministry of Education gave grants to vocational schools that promoted general education curriculum reform program; STUST was selected as one of the "merit schools," ranked first in the country in terms of subsidy program and funds. On May 3, 2017, the Institute of Business passed the AACSB international business education certification. It is the third business school for Universities of Science and Technology nationwide, also the first private one to have won the certificate. This is all the hard work, as well great performance and achievement, of all the faculties and students of Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology.

【President Chien Tai of Southern University of Science and Technology President (right) Former Chairman of the Legislative Yuan Jin-Ping Wang.】

As President Chien Tai pointed out, the Ministry of Education has recently confirmed that Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology has been listed among top universities, in line with those National universities. The Tainan Cultural and Creative Industry Park, the operation of which STUST is responsible for, is a milestone in the diversification of the school’s management. This year, it has obtained the right to operate the Incubation Center of the South Branch of the SME Office, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, with the aim to cultivate strong start-up businesses. In addition, the New Building for Daily Living, with its 43-meter-tall gate, stands now not only as a symbolic landmark for STUST but also as open arms to welcome industries to work together with STUST to create technology research and development and economic prosperity for Taiwan. It symbolizes STUST’s fearless stand in the face of difficulties and its pursuit of lofty goals and ideals. The College of Engineering Building, which will see its completion by the end of 2017, is scheduled to be followed by upcoming construction of the Elderly Service Education Building. These hardware constructions are representative of STUTS’s efforts in industry, its keeping pace with the trend and the pulse of industries and businesses. The president encouraged the graduates to be proud of their tie with STUST and make lifelong contribution to the country. President Tai reminded all the graduates that the school’s motto “Being honest and just” is a great norm for a lifetime.

【President Chien Tai of Southern University of Science and Technology President was making the opening speech.】

Former Chairman of the Legislative Yuan Jin-Ping Wang said Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology has not only acquired many projects from the central government; it has also had excellent performance in a lot of competitions. Recently STUST won the IEET, AACSB and other international certifications, as a result of its endless great efforts. He shared three principles of doing things with the graduates: the first is to be faithful in order to get everyone's trust and respect; the second is to be able to tolerate different views of the people; and the third is to be able to accept great opinions and ideas.

【Former Chairman of Legislative Yuan Jin-Ping Wang visited STUST and gave a graduation speech.】

Among the graduates this year, Yi-Jin Tsai, a student of the Department of Marketing and Circulation Management who suffers from unbalanced growth of her feet, was particularly worth mentioning. Following her doctor’s recommendation, she has been making use of swimming as her way of rehabilitation. As a result, during her years studying in vocational high school, he won top prizes in swimming when she joined three national competitions of physical and mental disables. After entering STUST, she had been actively developing a wide range of learning experiences and obtained RFID radio frequency .international certification.

【President Tai (middle) of Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology (right), international student Gregor Pechmann (left), and Yi-Jin Hsai, a student of the Department of Marketing and Circulation Management (right).】

She had been to the "Chinese and Taiwan Cultural Experience Camp" held by International and Cross-strait Affairs Office. She had also been to Ritsumeikan University with a short-term Chinese study group. As she was given great scholarships and prepared to go abroad during the period, she met a serious car accident. Surrounded and supported by her teachers, friends, family, the will to power rekindled her heart. Through the system of student exchange, she went to the Netherlands and studied at the International Marketing Department of Fontys International Business School in Venlo. As an exchange student for one year, Yi-Jin kept pondering over her own life planning in a more comprehensive way. Now she hopes that after graduation she can enter a foreign company or airlines to work, learning and experiencing more for her future employment and for the development of her own vision.

【Marching Ceremony before the 2017 Commencement of Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology.】

This year a total of 49 international students from 11 countries were given a degree, 6 of whom are from Indonesia and 1 from Vietnam. The 6 students received the Indonesian government DIKTI scholarship; this was the first time students received DIKTI scholarship in their graduation. The 7 students are about to return to their countries to offer their service to schools and teach students who are taught in their country. In the future, these lecturers would be key players in our cooperation. The president encouraged them to be committed to the future cooperation with teachers and students in Taiwan, hoping to see more cooperation between STUST and their schools in their home countries.

【President Tai of Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology (middle) fresh graduates, and the goodwill ambassadors.】

During the graduation weeks, STUST offered students a special "Bless Graduation Concert" for celebration. A number of entertainers were invited to sing and dance with the students and the participating guests. Through the graduation concert, students were given unforgettable memories and excitement. In addition, the student union also brought large installation arts, with the theme "Door to Anywhere" as a symbol of life experience that would lead the graduates into a different world and the meaning of "personally opening their own doors." A great number of graduates came wearing graduation robes and stood by the door, which became a popular campus attraction. Since the beginning of the commencement, parents and friends and relatives kept coming to STUST, resulting in a total of more than 7,000 people attending the ceremony.