Tamkang University’s Office of Student Affairs organized two regional revitalization exploration programs, titled “Gongliao Life Beyond the City,” on May 30 and July 24–25. More than 30 local and international students were taken on immersive visits to the Aodi fishing village and Jimuling community in Gongliao District, New Taipei City. Through ecological exploration, food and agricultural education, and regional revitalization activities, participants learned about Gongliao’s distinctive mountain and coastal culture while experiencing firsthand the diverse values of local sustainable development.

The programs were jointly planned by the Office of Student Affairs and local revitalization partner Taste Gongliao. Activities included hands-on workshops making agar jelly and sweet potato cakes, an experience washing seaweed with local ama divers, guided tours of Aodi Fishing Harbor and the intertidal zone, and walking tours of the Jimuling terraced rice paddies and the Tamsui-Kavalan Historic Trails. An 80-year-old local ama diver was specially invited to lead participants into the intertidal zone at low tide. Students observed sea cucumbers, starfish, hermit crabs, limpets, and other marine life up close before returning them to their natural habitat, putting the principles of marine ecological sustainability into practice.

Students also learned about the journey of food “from farm to table” by discovering local ingredients such as Gelidium seaweed and edible seaweed, as well as participating in agricultural activities such as harvesting dragon fruit and wax apples. Through these experiences, they gained a deeper appreciation of Gongliao’s unique culture, characterized by **“delicacies from the mountains, flavors from the sea, and the warmth of its people.”

Shih-Wei Chen, Chairperson of Taste Gongliao, explained that regional revitalization is not simply about developing tourism. More importantly, it involves rediscovering local characteristics, connecting culture, ecology, and industry, and creating opportunities for young people to return to their communities while promoting sustainable development. He also hopes that immersive programs like this can cultivate a “relationship population”—people who may not reside locally but maintain lasting connections with and concern for the community. Through the collaboration with Tamkang University, he observed students gradually developing an emotional connection with the land through observation, experience, and reflection, while helping more people discover Gongliao’s stories and cultural values.

Students responded enthusiastically, describing the program as a hands-on learning experience that took them beyond the classroom and connected them directly with the local community. A third-year student from the Department of Information and Communication surnamed Hsu shared, “My impression of Gongliao used to be limited to Fulong Beach. It was only after actually visiting the communities that I realized how much dedication and hard work over many years lie behind every local dish and every terraced field. The experience gave me an entirely new understanding of the true value of regional revitalization.”

Semenova Anastasila, a first-year master’s student in the Department of European Languages and Cultures from Russia, was equally impressed. “This was my first opportunity to observe intertidal organisms up close and experience rural life. I not only gained a much deeper appreciation of how much effort goes into producing our food, but also experienced the warmth and hospitality of the Taiwanese people. I will definitely introduce Gongliao, with its rich natural and cultural appeal, to more of my international friends in the future.”

En-Tzu Wu, a research assistant in the Office of Student Affairs and the program coordinator, explained that the initiative was designed to create an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural learning platform that encourages students to engage with social issues and local sustainable development while considering how their own areas of expertise can respond to societal needs. Moving forward, the Office of Student Affairs will continue integrating the principles of University Social Responsibility (USR) with regional revitalization resources to create more opportunities for mutual learning and shared development, enabling students to learn through practice and grow through engagement with local communities.

SDGs #SDG04 Quality Education #SDG11 Sustainable Cities and Communities #SDG14 Life Below Water #SDG15 Life on Land #SDG17 Partnerships for the Goals

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