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NCKU’s “ UR Series” Guides Freshmen in Exploring Interdisciplinary Learning and Unlocking Future Possibilities
From September 3 to 5, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) held the “114 Undergraduate Research Activities – Joint Lectures, Poster Exhibition, and Laboratory Visits,” with approximately 350 participants registering for the event. Vice President Yong-Chun Lee attended the UR joint lectures on September 3, encouraging students to engage with research early during their vibrant university life, enrich their knowledge, and prepare for future development. The three-day event included outstanding student teams sharing their research experiences, participation in international competitions, the joy of learning and achievement, and guided visits to featured laboratories, all aiming to help students broaden their imagination and envision future possibilities.
The UR joint lectures were held at 2:00 PM on September 3 in the Academic Lecture Hall on the 1st floor of the Department of Chinese Literature building at Guangfu Campus. Vice President Lee stated that NCKU is a research-intensive university, home to many outstanding faculty members, and produces numerous world-class research results. The UR Undergraduate Research program allows undergraduates to become familiar with the university’s research facilities and academic resources, encouraging early exposure to research. He also mentioned that “funding from the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Undergraduate Student Research Project is not only available for graduate students; undergraduates are also eligible and should consider applying if given the opportunity.”
Dean of Research & Development Department Chuan-Pu Liu noted that while society often focuses on rankings, students should prioritize strengthening their own abilities regardless of the school’s ranking. Rather than focusing on rankings, students should identify the skills they wish to develop and have confidence in themselves. University is a treasure trove of knowledge, and students should shift from the passive learning mode of high school to self-directed learning. “Actively explore your abilities and interests; do not leave the treasure mountain empty-handed. One day, we hope NCKU will be proud of you.”
This year’s joint lectures invited five outstanding student teams to share their experiences in research and international competitions: the Student Service Learning Center, the Sea Explorers – NCKU Human-Powered Submarine Team, the NCKU Formula Racing Team, “Urban-Rural Partnerships – Healthy and Sustainable Living in East Asia,” and the Taiwan Biotechnology and Drug Research Team. All teams welcomed interested students to join and explore more possibilities together.
During the lectures, a pharmacy freshman, Zhao, shared that she had previously participated in service-learning student clubs in high school, which provided not only opportunities for selfless contribution but also meaningful feedback and a sense of accomplishment. She was particularly inspired by the Student Service Learning Center team’s sharing of domestic and international service experiences. She also found the NCKU Formula Racing Team and Taiwan Biotechnology and Drug Research Team presentations relevant to her future studies. The diverse team experiences increased her interest in interdisciplinary learning.
An engineering freshman, Wu, expressed enthusiasm for technology that addresses social issues and serves the community, and looked forward to interdisciplinary learning. Listening to the student teams’ experiences provided insight into the process, experiences, and benefits of cross-disciplinary study, helping him plan for the future.
The Student Service Learning Center promotes service-learning from a student perspective, integrating service with coursework to allow students to apply classroom knowledge while contributing to society.
The Sea Explorers – NCKU Human-Powered Submarine Team participated in the 2025 International Human-Powered Submarine Races in the U.S., achieving the fastest speed in the team’s history. In 2024, the team placed 5th at the European International Submarine Races (eISR 2024) in the UK.
The NCKU Formula Racing Team develops high-performance, agile formula cars to participate in international competitions. The team aims not only to function as an academic club but also as a platform for cultivating automotive engineering and business talent.
The “Urban-Rural Partnerships – Healthy and Sustainable Living in East Asia” project, part of NCKU’s University Social Responsibility (USR) initiative, focuses on “holistic health” and “resilient rural communities,” aiming to establish healthy and sustainable urban-rural lifestyles with international collaboration.
The Taiwan Biotechnology and Drug Research Team created the BT&D² Medical R&D Platform, providing services such as drug-target matching and supply, formula optimization, research information, and biomedical efficacy verification.
After the team presentations, participants visited the History and Cultural Museum to attend the Undergraduate Student Poster Competition and Exhibition. Posters showcasing students’ research project outcomes were displayed, with student presenters providing explanations on-site. The competition aimed to stimulate and enhance students’ learning motivation.
Laboratory visits took place on September 4 and 5, with ten laboratories open to participants, including the Xia Han-Min Space Technology Center, Taiwan Biotechnology and Drug Research Team, Digital Manufacturing Workshop, Core Facility Center – Precious Instrument Division, Core Facility Center – Micro/Nano Division, International Shrimp Aquaculture R&D Center, Hydraulic Testing Laboratory, Marine Biology and Cetacean Research Center, Aerospace Technology Research Center, and the Lithium Battery Manufacturing and Testing Laboratory.
Chen, a pharmacy freshman visiting the Xia Han-Min Space Technology Center, said that although his major is pharmacy, he is very interested in space science. Having built simple rockets in high school, seeing the advanced equipment and hearing the instructors describe the team’s achievements in global CanSat competitions rekindled his passion for space science. He expressed interest in joining future space-related activities and believed he could balance his pharmaceutical studies with expanding his knowledge in space science.
A biotechnology freshman, Wu, said that participating in the UR activities, including the joint lectures and laboratory visits, made him realize how much can be done in university. Seeing many senior students work hard to achieve their dreams inspired him to pursue both his major studies and explore other areas.
Since 2019, NCKU has launched the “UR Undergraduate Research” program, initially for freshmen, aiming to cultivate students’ critical thinking, research proposal writing, data collection and analysis skills, and problem-solving abilities. Laboratory visits have since been expanded to include other undergraduate years, providing broader access to research experiences and preparing the next generation of innovative scientific talent for the nation.
The UR joint lectures were held at 2:00 PM on September 3 in the Academic Lecture Hall on the 1st floor of the Department of Chinese Literature building at Guangfu Campus. Vice President Lee stated that NCKU is a research-intensive university, home to many outstanding faculty members, and produces numerous world-class research results. The UR Undergraduate Research program allows undergraduates to become familiar with the university’s research facilities and academic resources, encouraging early exposure to research. He also mentioned that “funding from the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Undergraduate Student Research Project is not only available for graduate students; undergraduates are also eligible and should consider applying if given the opportunity.”
Dean of Research & Development Department Chuan-Pu Liu noted that while society often focuses on rankings, students should prioritize strengthening their own abilities regardless of the school’s ranking. Rather than focusing on rankings, students should identify the skills they wish to develop and have confidence in themselves. University is a treasure trove of knowledge, and students should shift from the passive learning mode of high school to self-directed learning. “Actively explore your abilities and interests; do not leave the treasure mountain empty-handed. One day, we hope NCKU will be proud of you.”
This year’s joint lectures invited five outstanding student teams to share their experiences in research and international competitions: the Student Service Learning Center, the Sea Explorers – NCKU Human-Powered Submarine Team, the NCKU Formula Racing Team, “Urban-Rural Partnerships – Healthy and Sustainable Living in East Asia,” and the Taiwan Biotechnology and Drug Research Team. All teams welcomed interested students to join and explore more possibilities together.
During the lectures, a pharmacy freshman, Zhao, shared that she had previously participated in service-learning student clubs in high school, which provided not only opportunities for selfless contribution but also meaningful feedback and a sense of accomplishment. She was particularly inspired by the Student Service Learning Center team’s sharing of domestic and international service experiences. She also found the NCKU Formula Racing Team and Taiwan Biotechnology and Drug Research Team presentations relevant to her future studies. The diverse team experiences increased her interest in interdisciplinary learning.
An engineering freshman, Wu, expressed enthusiasm for technology that addresses social issues and serves the community, and looked forward to interdisciplinary learning. Listening to the student teams’ experiences provided insight into the process, experiences, and benefits of cross-disciplinary study, helping him plan for the future.
The Student Service Learning Center promotes service-learning from a student perspective, integrating service with coursework to allow students to apply classroom knowledge while contributing to society.
The Sea Explorers – NCKU Human-Powered Submarine Team participated in the 2025 International Human-Powered Submarine Races in the U.S., achieving the fastest speed in the team’s history. In 2024, the team placed 5th at the European International Submarine Races (eISR 2024) in the UK.
The NCKU Formula Racing Team develops high-performance, agile formula cars to participate in international competitions. The team aims not only to function as an academic club but also as a platform for cultivating automotive engineering and business talent.
The “Urban-Rural Partnerships – Healthy and Sustainable Living in East Asia” project, part of NCKU’s University Social Responsibility (USR) initiative, focuses on “holistic health” and “resilient rural communities,” aiming to establish healthy and sustainable urban-rural lifestyles with international collaboration.
The Taiwan Biotechnology and Drug Research Team created the BT&D² Medical R&D Platform, providing services such as drug-target matching and supply, formula optimization, research information, and biomedical efficacy verification.
After the team presentations, participants visited the History and Cultural Museum to attend the Undergraduate Student Poster Competition and Exhibition. Posters showcasing students’ research project outcomes were displayed, with student presenters providing explanations on-site. The competition aimed to stimulate and enhance students’ learning motivation.
Laboratory visits took place on September 4 and 5, with ten laboratories open to participants, including the Xia Han-Min Space Technology Center, Taiwan Biotechnology and Drug Research Team, Digital Manufacturing Workshop, Core Facility Center – Precious Instrument Division, Core Facility Center – Micro/Nano Division, International Shrimp Aquaculture R&D Center, Hydraulic Testing Laboratory, Marine Biology and Cetacean Research Center, Aerospace Technology Research Center, and the Lithium Battery Manufacturing and Testing Laboratory.
Chen, a pharmacy freshman visiting the Xia Han-Min Space Technology Center, said that although his major is pharmacy, he is very interested in space science. Having built simple rockets in high school, seeing the advanced equipment and hearing the instructors describe the team’s achievements in global CanSat competitions rekindled his passion for space science. He expressed interest in joining future space-related activities and believed he could balance his pharmaceutical studies with expanding his knowledge in space science.
A biotechnology freshman, Wu, said that participating in the UR activities, including the joint lectures and laboratory visits, made him realize how much can be done in university. Seeing many senior students work hard to achieve their dreams inspired him to pursue both his major studies and explore other areas.
Since 2019, NCKU has launched the “UR Undergraduate Research” program, initially for freshmen, aiming to cultivate students’ critical thinking, research proposal writing, data collection and analysis skills, and problem-solving abilities. Laboratory visits have since been expanded to include other undergraduate years, providing broader access to research experiences and preparing the next generation of innovative scientific talent for the nation.
The undergraduate research activities aim to help students explore more possibilities and envision their future.
The Student Service-Learning Center team shared their experiences of service projects both domestically and abroad.
The NCKU Formula Racing Team discussed their preparation and learning outcomes from participating in international competitions.
Undergraduate Poster Competition and Exhibition.
Students visited the Hsieh Han-Min Space Technology Center.
Students toured the Digital Manufacturing Workshop.
