Southern Taiwan University of Technology (STUST) held a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony on September 2 with the Affiliated Senior High School of National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism (hereafter referred to as NCKU Hospitality High School). This action not only establishes a long-term collaborative relationship between the two institutions but also tightly integrates STUST’s research and development advantage in “AI applications across all industries” with NCKU Hospitality High School’s deep expertise in the catering profession. This significant collaboration is designed to address industry changes in the age of AI and the core concept of the 108 Curriculum Guidelines, which encourages the integration of emerging technologies into teaching and interdisciplinary learning. Together, they aim to cultivate “new vocational professionals” for Taiwan’s technical and vocational education system who possess both an AI mindset and practical skills, thus concretely realizing STUST’s educational philosophy of “AI Sets Sail, STUST Leads the Way.”

【President Nen-Fu Huang of STUST and Principal Sen-Jie Chen of NCKU Hospitality High School signed the MOU. The two schools join forces to promote the AI transformation of vocational education, deeply integrating AI technology with culinary and hospitality expertise to jointly cultivate future talent for Taiwan's hospitality education.】

【President Nen-Fu Huang of STUST and Principal Sen-Jie Chen of NCKU Hospitality High School signed the MOU exchanged school banners. They join forces to cultivate future talent for Taiwan's hospitality education.】

Cross-Campus Collaboration: From Years of Friendship to Educational Linkage

This partnership was initiated by the new Principal of NCKU Hospitality High School's, Sen-Jie Chen, who personally led a team of faculty, including Academic Affairs Director Wan-Ling Chu and Internship Director Pei-Jyun Yu. Principal Chen stated that he gained a profound understanding of STUST during his time as the Director of Academic Affairs, highly affirming its academic performance. He specifically mentioned that under the backdrop of the 108 Curriculum Guidelines emphasizing the integration of emerging technologies into teaching, faculty and students at NCKU Hospitality High School have been actively exploring how to apply AI technology to their catering major. The AI Maker platform, pioneered by President Nen-Fu Huang of STUST, perfectly addresses this need, becoming the ideal opportunity for this collaboration.

【Principal Sen-Jie Chen of NCKU Hospitality High School was delivering a speech at the signing ceremony. He expressed that with the 108 Curriculum Guidelines encouraging the integration of emerging technologies into teaching, the AI Maker platform pioneered by STUST perfectly addresses the need for NCKU Hospitality High School's faculty and students to apply AI to their catering profession. He believes that the collaboration between the two schools will mutually benefit students and jointly cultivate new vocational professionals.】

AI Empowerment: Mapping the Greater Southern Taiwan Blueprint for Smart Catering

President Nen-Fu Huang of STUST pointed out that AI entering all sectors is an inevitable trend. The Shalun Smart Green Energy Science City in Tainan is Taiwan's first AI industry zone, and it will lead the diffusion of AI applications from Shalun to the Greater Southern Taiwan region. President Huang also pointed out that STUST’s Greater Southern Taiwan Smart Rainforest Program has already partnered with renowned catering enterprises such as Hi-Lai Foods, Sanshang Food, and Wuhuama. This program promotes AI application projects like smart ordering and food waste reduction, introducing AI solutions that enhance operational efficiency and service quality for the industry, fully demonstrating STUST's strength in “AI Set Sail, STUST Leads the Way.”

【President Nen-Fu Huang of STUST was addressing the signing ceremony. He stated that STUST is committed to closely integrating its technological advantage in “AI applications across all industries” with NCKU Hospitality High School’s deep expertise in the catering profession. President Huang indicated that this cooperation is a concrete realization of STUST’s “AI Set Sail, STUST Leads the Way” spirit in the catering field, synchronizing with AI development to jointly cultivate new vocational professionals with an AI mindset and inject vitality into the industrial upgrade of the Greater Southern Taiwan region.】

The New Professional Spirit: Cultivating “Thinking Hands”

President Nen-Fu Huang emphasized that smart AI technology can be applied to various professional fields like catering and food science through technologies such as visual and auditory recognition, enhancing efficiency and competitiveness. By utilizing technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR), and Virtual Reality (VR), teaching content can become more vivid and concrete, stimulating students’ proactive learning and innovative design capabilities, mutually benefiting the students of both schools.

Chair Su-Juan Mo: A Warm Gift from an Outstanding Alumna

It is particularly worth noting that the facilitation of this strategic alliance between the two schools is thanks to Chair Su-Juan Mo of the Republic of China Hearing-Impaired Association (STUST Outstanding Alumna). Her long-term selfless dedication to education laid a solid foundation for this collaboration. Chair Mo specifically prepared exquisite desserts handmade by students from the Hearing-Impaired Association as gifts for the faculty attending the ceremony, demonstrating her enthusiastic support and commitment to every strategic alliance signing. Faculty from both schools happily took a photo, sharing this warm moment, and looking forward to an even closer collaboration in the future.

【Chair Su-Juan Mo of the Republic of China Hearing-Impaired Association, an Outstanding Alumna of STUST was presenting meaningful gifts to President Nen-Fu Huang of STUST and Principal Sen-Jie Chen of NCKU Hospitality High School, jointly witnessing the strategic alliance between the two schools to inject new momentum into vocational education development.】

【As STUST and NCKU Hospitality High School signed the MOU. Chair Mo especially prepared exquisite desserts handmade by students from the Hearing-Impaired Association as gifts for the faculty attending the ceremony, showing her passionate support and dedication to every strategic alliance signing. Faculty from both schools happily posed for a photo, sharing this warm moment, and anticipating an even closer future cooperation.】

Collaboration for a New Chapter: Creating a New Era in Vocational Education

This strategic alliance closely integrates STUST’s forward-looking layout in AI technology with NCKU Hospitality High School’s practical experience in catering, encouraging faculty and students to deepen their professional knowledge in emerging technologies. Together, they will cultivate “new vocational professionals” who possess both professional skills and innovative thinking, creating a new chapter for the future of Taiwan's technical and vocational education. Many faculty members from STUST also attended to witness the cooperation, including Executive Vice President Hong-Der Chang, Academic Vice President Jenn-Chuen Wang, Dean Chao-Tang Yu of Academic Affairs, Dean Ming-Tsun Tsaiof the College of Engineering, Dean Jing-Jung Lin of the College of Business and Management and Chairman of the Department of International Business, Dean Bing-Jang Chenof the College of Digital Design, Dean Chun-Sheng Chang of the College of Intelligent Health and Dean of Research and Development and Industry-Academia Collaboration Affairs Office, Chair Chia-Sheng Yeh of the Department of Hospitality Management, Chair Yi-Shiu Lin of the Department of Business Administration, Acting Section Chief Ya-Fang Liuof Reader Services in the Library and Information Technology Office, and Prof. Fei-Suo Hung of the Department of Leisure and Recreation Management.

【A group photo from the MOU signing ceremony between STUST and NCKU Hospitality High School. Pictured are President Nen-Fu Huang of STUST, Principal Sen-Jie Chen of NCKU Hospitality High School, Chair Su-Juan Mo, and the faculty teams from both schools, jointly witnessing this important moment of collaboration between AI and catering education.】

【A group photo from the MOU signing ceremony between STUST and NCKU Hospitality High School. Pictured are Executive Vice President Hong-Der Chang of STUST, Principal Sen-Jie Chen of NCKU Hospitality High School, Chair Su-Juan Mo, and the faculty team.】