The teachers in various academic departments and colleges at NCUE not only conduct academic research and publish research results in different professional fields, but also create a neutral platform and safe space by organizing symposiums and outreach activities, among other programs. Besides publicizing and promoting relevant academic and professional achievements, they also invite different political stakeholders to gather at symposiums or for outreach activities to discuss various issues frankly and safely. NCUE held 8 discussion sessions on related issues in 2021, and 13 sessions in 2022, which are summarized below:

1. The College of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Special Education, organized the “2023 Special Education Forum and Paper Presentation Seminar” on June 3, 2023, with a focus on the “Practical Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).” The presentation content included real-life examples and discussions related to the CRPD, and integrated the significant amendments to the “Special Education Act,” which had not seen substantial changes in 14 years, into the presentations, reflecting current events. After a rigorous review process, six papers were selected for presentation at the seminar.

Reference link: https://www.ncue.edu.tw/p/406-1000-10440,r93.php?Lang=zh-tw

2. The Department of Industrial Education and Technology held the “24^th Technology Vocational Education Conference on Educational Quality Management” and the “10th Engineering Science and Technology Seminar” on June 2, 2023. The goal of the seminar was to explore ways to enhance the performance and operational quality of vocational education institutions while staying up-to-date with advancements in engineering and technology. In addition to inviting talented individuals to present their research papers, the event also featured a special keynote address by Director General Yu-Hui Yang from the Department of Technology and Vocational Education, Ministry of Education. Her presentation focused on “Characteristics and Development of Vocational Education and Industry-Academia Collaboration in Talent Development.” The discussion revolved around how, in the face of the challenges of an aging population and declining birth rates, innovative cross-disciplinary approaches and the use of digital technology can drive ongoing industry transformation. In the second session, Mr. Li-Cheng Wu, Deputy Director General of the Power Supply Division of Taiwan Power Co., Ltd., delivered a lecture on “Modern Protection of Renewable Energy Grids”, which analyzed the integration of energy transformation and digital transformation from the perspective of renewable energy. He also shared insights on the safety model risk assessment in grid construction and the necessity of protection systems.

Reference link: https://www.ncue.edu.tw/p/406-1000-22129,r93.php?Lang=zh-tw

3. The Graduate Institute of Translation and Interpretation and the Taiwan Association of Translation and Interpretation held the “The 27^th International Symposium on Translation and Interpreting Teaching” on May 6, 2023. The theme of the symposium was “In the Era of Artificial Intelligence: Reconsidering the Profession and its Training Models.” Dr. David Sawyer’s keynote address focused on the core aspects of professional interpreting and translation and emphasized that in the age dominated by neural machine translation, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, traditional teaching models should incorporate technology. Dr. Jiun Huh, on the other hand, approached the topic from a market perspective and a training angle. Based on the research and surveys conducted in the Korean interpreting and translation market, she guided teachers to use technology in planning interpreter training. After a rigorous review mechanism, 6 topics were selected and 18 papers were presented at the symposium.

Reference link: https://www.ncue.edu.tw/p/406-1000-10012,r93.php?Lang=zh-tw

4. The Department of Chinese and the Graduate Institute of Taiwan Literature held the 32^nd Poetry Conference, an academic symposium on the theme of “The Path and Progress of Traditional Opera,” on May 5, 2023. The theme of the symposium was centered around the theme of drama throughout history, with a focus on three major sub-topics: “Classical Chinese Theater,” “Puppet Theater,” and “Modern Drama.” Scholars and enthusiasts were invited to present, discuss, and exchange ideas related to these topics. The symposium, spanning from keynote speeches to the three major sub-topics, explored various facets of the development of drama. This included different temporal and spatial dimensions of directing, staging, and appreciation. It also delved into the diverse aspects of performance venues, from traditional stages and theaters to contemporary media like film and television. Furthermore, the conference discussed the multitude of forms, ranging from live human performances to puppetry. All of these issues are worth exploring and pondering over again, and we look forward to looking at the future development of theater through this event.

Reference link: https://www.ncue.edu.tw/p/406-1000-10119,r93.php?Lang=zh-tw

5. The Department of Fine Arts organized two international conferences in May 2023. The first conference, titled “2023 Art x Education: Interdisciplinary Connections and Social Practices International Conference,” took place on May 5^th. It featured keynote speeches by Professor Sunah Kim from Hanyang University, Professor Kevin Shieh from Georgia State University, and Professor Carl-Peter Buschkühle from Justus Liebig University Giessen. The conference included presentations of 17 papers covering themes related to cross-disciplinary connections in art education, cultural phenomena and trend observations, and the social practices of cultural arts. The second conference, “Contemporary Art/Aesthetic Education: Dialogues Between Taiwan, the United States, and South Korea,” was held on May 8^th. In addition to the international conference, on May 8, 2023, Prof. Sunah Kim presented a case study of the cross-disciplinary curriculum in Korea and the Outcome Mapping framework developed by the participating research team. Chi-Huei Huang of the National Academy for Educational Research introduced Taiwan's Aesthetic Education Program, which has been running since 2019, and shared the results of the implementation of aesthetic education in Taiwan. Prof. Kevin Hsieh invited the participants to reflect on the social realities and issues facing the education interface, and to guide students to reflect on the operation of power through art teaching to promote social integration and progress.

Reference link: https://www.ncue.edu.tw/p/406-1000-10158,r93.php?Lang=zh-tw

6. The College of Education, in collaboration with the Graduate Institute of Rehabilitation Counseling, organized the Forward-Looking Trends in Education Forum “Career Development and Transition: Context and Services” on April 19, 2023: Dr. David Strauser of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign shared his research findings in the field of career development for individuals with disabilities. Dr. David Strauser emphasized the importance of career development for an individual and introduced his “IW2M” theoretical model, based on his research and practical experience. He explained the challenges that individuals with disabilities may face in their career development process and highlighted areas where practitioners can focus their efforts to help individuals with disabilities achieve more independence and autonomy.

Reference link: https://www.ncue.edu.tw/p/406-1000-9878,r93.php?Lang=zh-tw

7. The College of Education and the Department of Guidance and Counseling organized the Forward-Looking Trends in Education Forum “Humanistic Counseling and Cultural Healing: Local Psychological Perspectives” on March 15, 2023: Prof. An-Bang Yu, former associate research fellow at the Institute of Ethnology, Academia Sinica, was invited to be the keynote speaker. Prof. Yu engaged with the audience in a relaxed yet professional manner. He delved into Western intellectual history and expressions through examples from music and film, and then applied a “contextual transformation” to return to Eastern philosophy within local culture. His presentation encouraged the audience to contemplate, question, and explore the interactions between ancient and modern, Eastern and Western influences, creating a vibrant philosophical garden where distractions fade away, and everything is immersed in profound life experiences.

Reference link: https://www.ncue.edu.tw/p/406-1000-9849,r93.php?Lang=zh-tw

8. The College of Engineering and the College of Technology of NCUE have long been committed to the development of smart energy applications in the areas of energy creation, energy conservation, energy storage, and system integration, and the Baoshan Campus is the only smart microgrid demonstration campus in the country. To this end, the “Smart Microgrid Technology Forum” was held on March 2, 2023, to share the innovative technologies of smart microgrids, which can be used as an important reference for the industry, government, and academia to build microgrids, and to strengthen the operational resilience of distribution grids with a high proportion of renewable energy to ensure a stable power supply. The microgrid test site built by NCUE is envisaged to further cooperate with the industry to conduct actual field tests to accelerate product validation work.

Reference link: https://www.ncue.edu.tw/p/406-1000-9449,r93.php?Lang=zh-tw

9. On March 6, 2023, the College of Education organized the Forward-Looking Trends in Education Forum, “The Counseling Profession and Ethics in Japan”: Prof. Reiko Yoshikawa of Tokai University was invited to be the keynote speaker, and shared the development of the counseling profession in Japan, the important figures and their influence, as well as ethical norms in Japan, and shared her personal learning and working experience. Finally, Prof. Chih-Hung Wang of the Department of Guidance and Counseling and Business Administration served as a fellow panelist, responding to the theme of the lecture, and presenting the development of counseling in Taiwan, which enriched the diversity of the theme.

Reference link: https://www.ncue.edu.tw/p/406-1000-9520,r93.php?Lang=zh-tw

10. On June 11, 2023, the College of Education and the Department of Guidance and Counseling jointly held the "Final Project Workshop on the Practical Application of Social Work Ethics, Theory, and Research." Associate Professor Pai Chien-ju from the Department of Guidance and Counseling hosted the event, featuring keynote speakers Professor Tseng Hua-yuan, adjunct professor, and Dr. Tsai Chia-ying, Senior Social Worker from the Taichung City Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention Center. Through practical demonstrations, the two speakers explained how to integrate theories, ethics, and research with real-world applications, consolidating students' knowledge across four years of study. By examining practical cases and current trends in society, we explained the relationships among the knowledge systems of professions and theories in social work, as well as ethical philosophy and research methods. Particularly, as the professional goals and ethical norms of postmodern social work have changed along with the transformation of social work theories and research paradigms, they now have different philosophical foundations. Moreover, Issues in ethical practice need to be discussed in the context of local professional practice.

Relevant URL: https://www.ncue.edu.tw/p/406-1000-22262,r93.php?Lang=zh-tw

11. On May 28, 2023, the College of Education, the Department of Guidance and Counseling, and the Taiwan Association for Group Counseling and Therapy Research jointly organized the "2023 Taiwan Association for Group Counseling and Therapy Research Annual Conference and Academic Seminar". The event theme was "Promoting Social Psychological Health in the Post-Pandemic Era - Practices and Applications of Group Counseling and Therapy". The event featured poster presentations, keynote lectures, and thematic forums. The call for poster submissions received an enthusiastic response, resulting in 53 posters being selected for presentation after review. Additionally, two keynote speeches and one thematic forum attracted nearly a hundred participants from related fields across Taiwan.

Relevant URL: https://www.ncue.edu.tw/p/406-1000-23305,r93.php?Lang=zh-tw

12. On July 20-21, 2023, the Science Education Working Circle, led by Professor Tuan Hsiao-lin from the Graduate Institute of Science Education at our university, organized a workshop on "Linking Short-term Goals in Science Education." The workshop invited 14 science education-related centers nationwide and 6 Ministry of Education science education-related commissioned projects for exchange. Convener Professor Tuan Hsiao-lin introduced the tasks of the Science Education Working Circle and the short-term goals of science education. The workshop featured two panel discussions: one on aligning and exploring the short-term goals of science education with the competencies and assessments of the New Curriculum Guidelines introduced in 2019, and the other on linking and applying interdisciplinary resources in science education. Additionally, fourteen centers and related commissioned projects presenting their highlights, sharing strategies for cross-project linkages and cooperation. Finally, a comprehensive discussion was held.

Relevant URL: https://www.ncue.edu.tw/p/406-1000-23327,r93.php?Lang=zh-tw

13. On December 22, 2023, the Graduate Institute of Science Education held a "Forum on Short-term Goals in Science Education." Professor Tuan Hsiao-lin from our university led the Science Education Working Circle team in organizing this forum. The forum topics were as follows:

Topic 1: "Integration and Utilization of Cross-domain Resources in Science Education," chaired by Professor Chiu Mei-hung from National Taiwan Normal University. It shared experiences on integrating and utilizing cross-domain resources in projects to support inquiry and practical teaching promotion and enhance inquiry-based teaching and student learning.

Topic 2: "STEAM Interdisciplinary Teaching," chaired by Professor Fu Tsu-i from National Taiwan Normal University. The program provided experiences on designing and implementing STEAM interdisciplinary courses at high school and university levels, discussing how various centers can promote STEAM interdisciplinary curriculum design and implementation in the future.

There were 50 participants, including university and K-12 teachers, Pre-service teachers, and graduate students from across the country. Attendees expressed that the forum helped them learn about the experiences of other centers and projects, and identify future connection methods and partners, contributing to collective progress towards short-term goals in science education.

Reference URL: https://www.ncue.edu.tw/p/406-1000-24723,r93.php?Lang=zh-tw

14. On December 12, 2023, the College of Education and the Graduate Institute of Rehabilitation Counseling jointly organized the "Educational Foresight Issues and Trends Forum" and "Rehabilitation Counseling Teaching Professional Seminar." The theme was "Family Therapy for Individuals with Disabilities", featuring a special lecture by Associate Professor Lin Chien-chun from the Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling Department at Western Oregon University on "Introduction to the Current Status of Rehabilitation Counseling in the United States." Associate Professor Lin shared insights from over a decade of studying, working, and teaching in the U.S. She detailed the development process of the rehabilitation counseling profession in the U.S., the recent consolidation of certification bodies, and its impact on curriculum design and credit allocation. Additionally, she discussed the professional qualifications and differences between Certified Rehabilitation Counselors (CRC) and Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) in the U.S. Lin presented her research findings on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the adaptability of vocational rehabilitation personnel, emphasizing the crucial role of rehabilitation counseling services in supporting the employment of individuals with disabilities during the challenging time. She encouraged students to future challenges in the field and inspired them to pursue careers in rehabilitation counseling with a sense of social responsibility.

Reference URL: https://www.ncue.edu.tw/p/406-1000-24646,r93.php?Lang=zh-tw

15. On December 1-2, 2023, the College of Engineering, College of Technology, and the Chinese Society of Mechanical Engineers (CSME) jointly organized the "2023 Annual Conference and 40th National Academic Symposium (CSME 2023)". The conference focused on important issues related to the mechanical industry, covering six main themes: Thermal Fluids and Energy, Power and Control, Solid Mechanics and Design, Manufacturing and Materials, Emerging Technologies and Others, and Engineering Education and Talent Cultivation. With nearly a thousand papers presented, it was a significant large-scale academic symposium and annual event in the field of mechanical engineering. In addition to paper presentations, the conference invited representatives from various sectors for keynote speeches, addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and focusing on "net-zero emissions". Speakers included:

(1) Professor Chou Chih-hung from Feng Chia University on "Net-zero Sustainable Green Smart Manufacturing."

(2) Professor Cheng Yu-jen from National Cheng Kung University on "A Cross-domain Journey Starting from Mechanical Engineering."

(3) Chairman Chang Chin-feng of DAFOFCO on "AXILE - Leading Intelligent Manufacturing ART System."

To promote industry-academia connections, CSME 2023 organized an exchange meeting on "Women in Mechanical Engineering" and a nationwide forum for department chairs of mechanical engineering. Moreover, the attendees of the forum included representatives from invited Chaintec International Co., Ltd. and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company for sharing sessions to inspire and cultivate high-end talents with global vision, innovative thinking, and technical integration and management abilities, thereby creating opportunities for industry-academia joint training.

Reference URL: https://www.ncue.edu.tw/p/406-1000-24463,r93.php?Lang=zh-tw

16. On November 27, 2023, our university held the "2023 Ministry of Education National Quality Educational Internship Guidance Work Sharing Seminar." The event invited representatives of the Ministry of Education's Outstanding Educational Internship Award winners and international educational internship program teams to share their experiences. It also welcomed administrators and students from education bureaus of various counties and cities, teacher training universities, administrative staff from educational internship institutions, and teachers from various educational stages. This year, 148 individuals/groups from 38 universities that offer teacher training courses were nominated for the Outstanding Educational Internship Award. After rigorous review, 85 individuals/groups were selected as winners, including 5 internship instructors, 9 internship mentors, 60 intern students, and 11 educational internship collaborative groups. The award winners and international educational internship program teams shared their experiences, which not only facilitated the exchange of different perspectives on educational internships but also provided insights into international educational internship experiences, bringing valuable gains to the participants.

Reference URL: https://www.ncue.edu.tw/p/406-1000-24496,r93.php?Lang=zh-tw

17. On November 17, 2023, the College of Education and the Graduate Institute of Education jointly organized the "Educational Foresight Issues and Trends Forum." The forum aimed to explore foresight issues and trends in education, deeply analyze the challenges faced by teacher education in Taiwan, and discuss future development directions. The keynote speaker, Professor Wang Ju-che, provided a comprehensive review of the history of teacher education in Taiwan. He thoroughly analyzed the current challenges within the teacher education environment and offered unique insights into its future direction, leading participants to reflect profoundly on the future of education. At the end of the speech, Professor Wang discussed the current state of university education. He observed that many students choose popular majors solely because they are perceived as good career choices in society. However, Professor Wang proposed an alternative perspective, suggesting that rather than pursuing so-called popular majors, students should follow their interests. He emphasized that society needs diverse talents, and that excellent opportunities exist in any field for those who excel in their chosen paths.

Reference URL: https://www.ncue.edu.tw/p/406-1000-24571,r93.php?Lang=zh-tw

18. On November 14, 2023, the College of Education and the Graduate Institute of Rehabilitation Counseling jointly hosted the "Educational Foresight Issues and Trends Forum" and "Graduate Institute of Rehabilitation Counseling Teaching Professional Seminar." The keynote speaker, Mr. Chien Ming-shan, Director and CEO of Chien Ming-shan Social Work Office, shared his personal career journey, offering profound insights into his development as a person with disabilities and his experiences in the field of social work. Mr. Chien reflected on the impact of disability rights advocacy movements he participated in on society at that time. He also deeply examined the various aspects of career guidance for people with disabilities from his own growth experiences. His presentation not only deeply moved the students present but also provided valuable learning insights for students embarking on the path in the helping professions.

Reference URL: https://www.ncue.edu.tw/p/406-1000-24280,r93.php?Lang=zh-tw

19. On October 28, 2023, the Department of Sports Sciences, along with National Dong Hwa University and the Taiwan Society of Biomechanics in Sports (TSBS), jointly organized the "2023 Taiwan Sports Biomechanics Annual Conference and Symposium on Smart Technology and Sports Science." This symposium is a significant annual event in the field of sports biomechanics. The applications of sports biomechanics are extensive, including competitive sports, human motion performance analysis, sports equipment technology, sports injury prevention, and adaptive physical education, with profound impacts on sports performance. The symposium received 128 paper submissions, featured 15 exhibiting companies specializing in sports biomechanics and smart technology instruments, and attracted over 250 leading researchers in the field of sports biomechanics from across Taiwan. The event invited Mr. Wu Cheng-wen, Chairman of the National Sports Science Center, to share research findings, broadening the horizons of domestic sports biomechanics researchers. To encourage young researchers to present in English, the conference specifically planned an "English Oral Presentation" session. Various presentation awards were also given during the closing ceremony.

Reference URL: https://www.ncue.edu.tw/p/406-1000-24568,r93.php?Lang=zh-tw

20. On July 20, 2023, the Graduate Institute of Rehabilitation Counseling held a seminar titled "Implementing the Concept of Reasonable Accommodation in Vocational Rehabilitation Practice," attracting 80 practitioners, scholars, and graduate students interested in advancing the field. The seminar featured a special presentation by Dr. Chiu Chung-yi, a Taiwanese-American scholar from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, one of our university's sister schools in the U.S. His insights allowed domestic vocational rehabilitation professionals to further understand the implementation experiences of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the source of reasonable accommodation. Additionally, the experience shared by Dongyou Technology Company from Taoyuan in supporting stable employment for employees with autism was highly appreciated by the attendees. The company currently employs 15 employees with autism, engaging them in 7 types of professional or technical work (software and firmware testing, hardware testing, 3DP measurement, program maintenance, QC inspection, production line operators, drone pilots) across 4 departments.

Reference URL: https://www.ncue.edu.tw/p/406-1000-23537,r93.php?Lang=zh-tw

21. To promote exchange and development between Taiwan and international expressive and creative arts therapy, the Department of Guidance and Counseling, in collaboration with the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association, hosted "Drop of Golden Sun: Illuminating Creativity" - The 15th International Expressive Arts Therapy Association International Conference from July 14 to 16, 2023. The conference theme, "Drop of Golden Sun: Illuminating Creativity," symbolizes the sun rising from the east, illuminating our path forward. The "way" of expressive arts refers to using various expressive and creative images that emerge and present during the art creation process as a guide to discovering new things. The conference attracted nearly 300 experts and scholars from 22 countries worldwide, both online and in-person. Professionals with diverse cultural backgrounds and experiences provided workshops combining theoretical sharing, practical applications, and academic research, creating a lively exchange.

Reference URL: https://www.ncue.edu.tw/p/406-1000-23487,r93.php?Lang=zh-tw

22. On July 4, 2023, the Department of Guidance and Counseling held the "2023 Professional Characteristic International Symposium - Life Continuity: Reflections on Career and Body in Counseling and Innovative Guidance Insights." The symposium centered on "career" and "body", aiming to use innovative theories and practical techniques to reflect on and create insights in career and body-related guidance and counseling. The symposium featured two keynote speeches. The morning session was opened by Professor Huang Su-fei, a researcher deeply rooted in narrative psychology in Taiwan with rich teaching and practical experience. Her topic was "Localization and Future Development of Career Counseling - Taking 'Postmodern Narrative Identity Themes and Functions' as an Example," delivering a profoundly resonant speech to all attendees. The evening session featured Marian Dunlea, a senior international body-oriented Jungian psychoanalyst from Ireland, speaking on "Healing Trauma, the Nervous System and an Embodied Alignment with the Self," with simultaneous professional interpretation provided. Her speech aimed to connect with international perspectives and lead students to deepen their learning in counseling psychology. Additionally, the symposium included a static display featuring academic publications by the department's faculty and students from the past two years (2021-2023), including peer-reviewed journal articles or conference presentations. These works were presented in poster, video, or written formats.

Reference URL: https://www.ncue.edu.tw/p/406-1000-23486,r93.php?Lang=zh-tw

23. Professor Lu Pei-wen from the Department of Geography serves as the project director for the National Development Council's "Establishing a Social Consultation Series of Activities for Sustainable Marine Net-Zero Just Transition." Through organizing forums, workshops, and lectures, the project aims to enhance understanding and recognition of marine and net-zero just transition, gather opinions, and facilitate exchanges. These efforts will serve as references for the government's future policy formulation and implementation in related areas.

Figure 1: Project Implementation Record (Discussion Meeting)

Figure 2: Project Implementation Record (On-site Investigation)

Figure 3: Project Implementation Record (On-site Investigation)