In order to promote the concept of holistic education, the National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU)established the "Holistic Education Center Preparatory Office" in 2010, and officially incorporated it into the "Holistic Education Center" in 2015. The center is committed to creating a free learning environment, integrating sustainable development education (ESD) and SDGs, helping students explore the meaning of life, stimulate learning potential, achieve balanced physical and mental development, and improve sustainable literacy. With the rapid changes in the world, higher education is responsible for cultivating compound talents who can adapt to the future society and industry. The NTNU's school development clearly puts forward the goal of "creating a diverse learning environment and fulfilling social responsibilities", and the Student Affairs Office also has the vision of "promoting students' holistic literacies development". In this context, the Holistic Education Center was transformed into the Social Practice Center in 2025, which not only deepened social participation, but also integrated moral education and life education to implement the concept of equal emphasis on academic and personality. In the process of participating in practice, students can understand social issues and develop problem-solving skills through actions; strengthen moral judgment and social responsibility through moral education; face challenges and reflect on themselves through life education, and move towards more mature spiritual and mental growth. The transformed Social Practice Center will be a core base for promoting the all-round development of students, guiding them to take root in knowledge, cultivate moral character, and actively respond to the innovative challenges of future society.

Empowering Students through the Five Core Competencies

The Social Practice Center is dedicated to 3 core missions: promoting social engagement, advocating character education, and advancing life education. Through targeted strategies and concrete implementation, the center aims to cultivate five key competencies among students at NTNU—Interdisciplinary Thinking and Action, Compassion and Empathy, Critical and Reflective Thinking, Practical Engagement, and Resilience and Adaptability. We aim to cultivate holistic student development, empowering NTNU students to become modern citizens equipped with civic literacy, social impact, and resilience.

•Interdisciplinary Thinking and Action: The ability to integrate knowledge, skills, and resources across diverse backgrounds to create value or solve complex problems.
•Compassion and Empathy: The capacity to understand and respond to others’ feelings and needs with compassion, actively contributing to their well-being.
•Critical and Reflective Thinking: The habit of critically reflecting on personal experiences to foster continuous improvement and personal development.
•Practical Engagement: The ability to assess situations, execute tasks effectively, and pursue long-term goals through consistent and purposeful action.
•Resilience and Adaptability: The strength to adapt and recover when facing adversity or pressure, demonstrating mental flexibility and perseverance.

University students’ participation in social practice is a vital pathway to enhancing their ability to interact with society. Involvement in social practice not only facilitates the application of academic knowledge, but also strengthens practical skills and deepens students’ understanding and competence in their professional fields. Social practice further cultivates students’ problem-solving abilities and innovative thinking, encouraging them to explore new solutions. The process of reflection and improvement that occurs through these real-world experiences plays a crucial role in personal growth.

Through active participation in social practice, students are also able to build broader social networks, expand their career perspectives, and develop social resilience—laying a solid foundation for their future professional endeavors. Numerous quantitative and qualitative studies have confirmed that social practice enhances students’ ability to integrate diverse forms of knowledge and apply them in practice. In fact, many leading universities around the world emphasize social connection and advocacy as essential ways for students to engage with the real world, leverage their strengths, and promote social justice.

Strategies for Promoting Social Practice

1. Develop social practice-related courses and programs.
2. Advocate the core concepts of social practice and encourage students to initiate their own social issue projects.
3. Strengthen students’ competencies in social practice to enhance social resilience and social impact.

Concrete Actions

1. Offer general education courses on social engagement, such as “Design and Practice of Community-Based Program.”
2. Launch a Social Action Incentive Program to encourage NTNU students to independently propose and carry out initiatives related to social issues. Proposals may include diverse grassroots topics, high school theme camps, and hometown service teams. Each team is supported by an “Action Navigator” who assists in guiding project execution and reflective thinking.
3. Organize empowerment workshops and promotional activities to foster students’ reflective abilities and motivate them to propose action plans for social issues. These initiatives utilize various media formats and innovative activities to promote the philosophy and spirit of social engagement. Local service activities for international students are also included.
4. Collect and promote exemplary social practice projects to enhance NTNU’s social impact. Facilitate partnerships and connections with community resources.
5. Conduct ongoing outcome assessments to showcase students’ learning achievements.