University social responsibility is always one of our top priorities at Taipei Tech. Cooperated with social welfare institution, Taipei Tech students started to teach disadvantaged children in Taipei and New Taipei City since 2008. On average, more than one hundred children benefited from this service learning program each year. And in 2015, we stepped a little bit further by promoting distance learning. 306 students have participated in the distance learning program since then. The inauguration ceremony of Taipei Tech Distance Learning Center was held on May 10, 2018. Accompanied by college students, children live in remote areas can develop subject’s knowledge such as mathematics and English. Moreover, their learning motive had also been elevated. The seven elementary schools and junior high schools participated in the program are located in Taoyuan City, Miaoli City, Pingtung City, and Taitung County.

Non-Governmental Organization Rotary International donated computers and camera systems that are essential for distance learning. The equipment, which is worth $64,500, is expected to help both teachers and students to provide better learning quality.

Huang Yu-fen, a senior student from the Department of English, has been teaching children English since her sophomore year. Four hours a week, Huang uses her passion and profession to help children in need. At the beginning, she felt frustrated because her student is shy and did not give her much feedback. But after the student’s midterm exam, Huang found out that her student made huge progress in her English test. Huang felt excited about her student’s achievement and she also learned a lot throughout the process as being a teacher. “I know better now about how can I contribute to the society” said Huang in an interview.

Taipei Tech Secretary Genera Prof Su Cherng-Yuh noted that the high turnover rate for teaching faculty and dysfunctional family are two problems which can be seen in schools in remote areas. Therefor a stable consulting system is strongly needed. The newly opened Distance Learning center at Taipei Tech is an attempt to improve insufficient teaching resource in those areas as well as a place where children can feel the warmth from people at the university.