2024 Cycling Festival at NCKU: Vibrant and Engaging, Helping High School Students Find Their Future Path
The NCKU Bike Festival, which grows more prosperous each year, has long been an important reference event for high school students considering university enrollment. This year, marking its seventeenth edition, the festival has received recognition from the National Science Council (NSC). It is the first time collaborating with the NSC's International Internship Pilot Program (IIPP), bringing in foreign high-level talent to Taiwan. On March 3rd, foreign university students came to visit NCKU, experiencing its long-standing historical culture and academic atmosphere. This collaboration aims to establish a long-term partnership with the NSC and expand the influence of the Bike Festival internationally. This year's festival also collaborates with the Rural Education Foundation, enabling high school students from remote areas to participate, breaking through geographical limitations and bringing the resources of the festival to disadvantaged high school students.
Vice President Woei-Jer Chuang, Dean of Student Affairs Liang-Yi Hung, Dean of Academic Affairs Sheng-Chih Shen, Vice President of General Affairs Jian-Hong Wu, Principal Cai-Gu Liao of Tainan First High School, Principal Sheng-Mao Lin of Taipei Songshan High School, and Principal Qing-Zai Hong of Tainan Girls' High School, along with other distinguished guests from inside and outside the university, rode bicycles together into the Banyan Garden to kick off the event. At the opening ceremony, Vice President Woei-Jer Chuang and other faculty members inserted tulips, symbolizing hope and blessings, into flower baskets.
Vice President Woei-Jer Chuang stated that many high school students understand NCKU's energy through the Bike Festival. The research conducted at NCKU aims to be applied in the industry, and the development is aimed at practical implementation. Therefore, NCKU has been favored by companies for many years. The important mission of the university is to impart knowledge, and NCKU not only imparts knowledge but also teaches students communication and teamwork skills through various activities. NCKU is also the cradle of cultivating leadership talents. Many leaders, senior executives, and co-founders of the top 100 companies in Taiwan are NCKU alumni. Excellent high school students are welcomed to join NCKU and grow together with the university.
Sheng-Mao Lin, the principal of Songshan High School, which is located in Taipei, said that many graduates of Songshan High School consider attending NCKU as their primary goal. Calculated over the four years of university education, there are about 150 alumni from Songshan High School at NCKU, and they have formed the "Song Friends Association" at NCKU. He wished the high school students and parents participating in the event to understand why NCKU is welcomed by companies through the Bike Festival.
Cai-Gu Liao, the principal of Tainan First High School, pointed out that Tainan First High School is adjacent to NCKU, and NCKU has provided many resources to Tainan First High School for a long time, including strategic alliances for science classes. The current president of NCKU, Meng-Ru Shen, is an alumna of Tainan First High School, and this year, he became a parent of NCKU due to his daughter's relationship. NCKU and Tainan First High School have a profound relationship and will jointly establish themselves in the capital city and move towards global success.
Qing-Zai Hong, the principal of Tainan Girls' High School and an NCKU alumna, expressed many nostalgic feelings for NCKU, as both she and her daughter are alumni of NCKU. As an alumna, she deeply feels NCKU's serious and steadfast academic atmosphere and its influence on life, which makes her proud. Many high school students in Taiwan consider NCKU as their first choice of university.
Qing-Ze Lin, the president of the NCKU Student Association, told high school students that he was once confused before choosing his major, and even after entering university, he would doubt whether he had found the right major. However, over the years at NCKU, through different majors, clubs, and activities, he has seen many people shine and radiate enthusiasm because of their interests. He also understands that to create beauty in everything one likes. The future belongs to oneself, and there will be many choices waiting to be made. No decision is simple, and no decision cannot be changed. He urged them to believe in themselves and believe that they have embarked on their own heroic path.
Jun-An Chen, the convener of the Bike Festival, pointed out that the festival serves as an information bridge between high schools and universities. Being a former participant, he can empathize with the anxiety of high school students who lack direction and feel uneasy about their academic paths. By having senior students from the festival serve as guides, he hopes that high school students participating in the festival will explore and try more, finding their interests and experiencing the excellent academic atmosphere and educational practices of NCKU.
Deng, a student who came from Hsinchu to participate in the festival, said he had already learned about NCKU online and had previously visited Tainan, forming a good impression of both Tainan and NCKU. He wants to pursue a career in medicine, and since the Pharmacy Department at NCKU has a six-year program, he believes he can learn more. NCKU is a comprehensive university with all colleges on the same campus, making it convenient to study different fields of knowledge, which greatly appeals to him.
The festival is attended by many parents accompanying their children. Mr. Huang from Kaohsiung, who has no connection with NCKU, only knows it as a good school. His nephew is an alumnus of NCKU, and upon his nephew's recommendation, he brought his son, a high school senior, to participate in the festival. Upon entering the campus, he felt the academic atmosphere and hoped his child would have the opportunity to study at NCKU.
The 2024 NCKU Bike Festival features diverse and enriching activities, with a total of six main thematic projects:
University Blueprint: Inviting current and graduated outstanding seniors from NCKU to share their experiences, organizing the "What Matter Most" workshop, and holding a special static exhibition on NCKU's academic system.
Department Fair: Gathering 46 departments, conducting in-depth department tours and department-specific experiential activities.
College Admission Guide: Inviting university professors and external lecturers to share information about university admissions tests, inviting seniors to share their experiences in university admissions tests, and organizing a large-scale static exhibition showcasing learning process templates.
Worry-Free Tea House: An exhibition focusing on the soul, displaying everyday life anecdotes
The Cycling Festival Department Exhibition attracted many high school students to participate in the event.
The National Science Council's project to bring in foreign high-level talent is trialing a program that includes visits by foreign students to the Cycling Festival at NCKU.
Former Vice President Woei-Jer Chuang of NCKU and distinguished guests both from within and outside the university kicked off the event by cycling together.
High school students participate in the cycling festival to get to know NCKU.
The university president introduces the unique features of their affiliated departments to high school students.
Sharing experiences of applying for admission.
Immersive experience of university life diversity.