Tamkang University has long been deeply engaged with its local community and, in recent years, has actively supported local revitalization through University Social Responsibility (USR) projects and other initiatives, achieving significant results. At 2:00 p.m. on September 30, a delegation led by Kuo-Chi Wu, General Manager of New Taipei Metro Corporation, visited President Hui-Huang Hsu, with Yu-Kuang Teng, Chief Administrative Officer of Lanyang Campus, facilitating the visit. The delegation sought to explore industry–academia collaboration opportunities from a local perspective. Through a training model emphasizing "studying locally and working locally," the proposed partnership aims to give students career-exploration opportunities that bridge campus learning and the workplace, cultivate professional talent for the Tamsui area, and create mutually beneficial outcomes for the university, industry, and the local community.

The visiting delegation included Yuan-Hsiang Chang, Senior Associate Vice President of New Taipei Metro; Ya-Ti Chang, Deputy Manager of the Human Resources Department; Tung-Liang Li, Head of the Volunteer Team; and Chi Li, founder of Tamsui Traveler. Tamkang University representatives included Yau-Hung Chen, Dean of the College of Science; Li-Chiu Chang, Dean of the College of Engineering; and Chun-Ying Chen, Chair of the Department of Transportation Management. Wu began by explaining that Tamsui is where the New Taipei Metro began operations. After the company was established in 2018, its first operational line was the Danhai Light Rail Transit system, which runs through the Tamsui area. With the opening of the Sanying Line this year, the company now operates four lines. As the metro network expands with future projects such as the Wanda Line and the Xizhi–Donghu Line, demand for rail transportation professionals is expected to grow rapidly.

Wu pointed out that New Taipei Metro had traditionally relied on open recruitment examinations to hire employees. However, declining birth rates and changing employment expectations among younger generations have made passive recruitment increasingly insufficient to meet workforce needs. Moreover, many students do not develop clear career plans during their university years and often struggle to apply their academic knowledge effectively after graduation, resulting in a mismatch between their abilities and career paths. To address these challenges, New Taipei Metro has actively promoted industry–academia collaboration, signing memoranda of understanding with National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University and National Taiwan University to establish specialized rail transportation courses and cultivate professional talent, with encouraging results. Wu noted that Tamkang University is in Tamsui, where the New Taipei Metro first began operations. With more than 22,000 students and Tamkang alumni accounting for nearly 10% of the company's workforce, the university is an important talent source for the corporation. He expressed hope that the visit would lay the groundwork for systematic internship and industry–academia collaboration programs, enabling students to explore careers in rail transportation while still in university and identify their professional development goals early on.

Ya-Ti Chang subsequently presented the proposed industry–academia collaboration initiative. Recognizing the importance of work–life balance for today's university students, New Taipei Metro Corporation has developed the "Star Talent Development Program." The initiative includes several key components: "Full-Time Senior-Year Internships with Pathways to Permanent Employment," "Three-Stage Career Development Training," "Interdisciplinary Training for Students from Diverse Academic Backgrounds, Including the Humanities," and "Industry–Academia Integration." The program aims to provide professional training across a wide range of disciplines, including transportation management, information technology, communications, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, and business administration. By encouraging interdisciplinary learning, it offers students comprehensive opportunities for career exploration and professional growth. Upon employment, the company plans to offer annual compensation equivalent to 14.5 to 16.4 months of salary, with median annual earnings exceeding NT$600,000, along with continuing education subsidies. These incentives are intended to help the company attract and retain local talent.

In addition, New Taipei Metro proposed collaborating with Tamkang's USR projects and Tamsui Traveler, a local revitalization organization, to organize "Open Depot" activities at the Danhai Light Rail maintenance depot. These activities would allow the public and students to enter normally restricted areas and experience public art installations and artificial intelligence applications firsthand. Students would also be encouraged to serve as tour guides, social media content managers, and marketing planners, gaining valuable frontline practical experience. Through these initiatives, students would develop a deeper understanding of Tamsui's cultural heritage and the rail transportation industry, while strengthening their sense of connection to the local community. The partnership also aims to encourage graduates to find jobs in Tamsui, establish lives there, and potentially purchase homes, contributing to shared prosperity among industry, government, academia, and the community.

In response, President Hsu emphasized that Tamkang University possesses extensive talent resources and interdisciplinary academic expertise. The university supports local industrial development and promotes community revitalization. He welcomed opportunities for businesses to provide diverse internships, lectures, and industry–academia collaboration programs that would help students transition from university to the workplace while achieving the goals of cultivating and retaining local talent. President Hsu added that he would direct the relevant university units to review the proposed collaboration and expressed hope that the partnership could be launched as soon as possible. Through these joint efforts, Tamkang University aims to expand students' career exploration opportunities while opening new possibilities for local development.

SDGs #SDG04 Quality Education #SDG08 Decent Work and Economic Growth #SDG09 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure #SDG10 Reduced Inequalities #SDG17 Partnerships for the Goals

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