Taiwan Tech student team “Skin Smart” won third place globally in the WTUN Student Competition 2025–26 in May 2026. Each team member received a £100 prize and an International Achievement Certificate.

The Taiwan Tech student team “Skin Smart” won third place globally in the World Technology Universities Network Student Competition. From left to right are Tzu-Ling Huang, instructor at the Taiwan Tech Language Center; Yu-Jie Chen; Chieh-I Chen; Hao-Yu Hsu; and Shao-Ting Hung, Director of the Taiwan Tech Language Center.

The team consists of three students from different departments, mentored by Tzu-Ling Huang of the Taiwan Tech Language Center: first-year students Hao-Yu Hsu and Yu-Jie Chen from the Department of Applied Foreign Languages, and third-year student Chieh-I Chen from the Department of Design, who is also pursuing a double major in Applied Foreign Languages. The team’s proposal, “Skin Smart”, focuses on a consumer issue that occurs in our daily lives. With the rapid development of online information, influencer recommendations and social media trends have led consumers to purchase large quantities of skincare products that may not necessarily be suitable for their skin types. This not only wastes money but also increases the burden on the environment.

The team proposed a data-driven system as a solution. On the one hand, it establishes standardized certification labels for manufacturers to promote transparency in product information; on the other hand, it develops a skin analysis system for consumers, so that choosing skincare products is no longer simply a matter of relying on intuition. The proposal addresses both SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), while also providing a solution through interdisciplinary collaboration.

This year’s competition attracted 28 teams from member universities in countries around the world. With the theme “Responsible Science”, the competition required participating teams to propose interdisciplinary and innovative solutions addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The integration of language and design expertise within the team strengthened both the depth of its argumentation and its visual presentation. In the eyes of the judges, the team’s results and collaboration demonstrated both social impact and practical feasibility, precisely reflecting the purpose of the WTUN competition in encouraging interdisciplinary teams.

The team earned its qualification to compete internationally through the “2026 5th Taiwan Tech SDGs English Presentation Competition”, organized by the Taiwan Tech Language Center. A total of 19 teams competed in this year’s competition, and “Skin Smart” earned a recommendation by placing second at Taiwan Tech, becoming one of the three teams representing Taiwan Tech at the WTUN competition.

The team earned its qualification to compete internationally through the “2026 5th Taiwan Tech SDGs English Presentation Competition,” organized by the Taiwan Tech Language Center. “Skin Smart” earned a recommendation by placing second at the university-level competition.

Instructor Tzu-Ling Huang admitted that staying up late to review the presentation script became part of their daily routine during the preparation period, but she said, “Because it was worth it”. What truly moved her was watching the students revise their work again and again and grow step by step throughout the process. For Hao-Yu Hsu, cosmetics had originally been an unfamiliar field. After conducting research from scratch and repeatedly making adjustments, he eventually stood on the award podium. He said that the competition allowed him to “prove myself through the preparation process”. Yu-Jie Chen, also a first-year student, won an international award in her very first competition at university. She said that although preparing for the competition was challenging, it enabled her to make significant progress in interface design, teamwork, and problem-solving. “This sense of achievement motivates me to continue challenging myself.”

For Chieh-I Chen, the competition topic, which simultaneously tested speculative design and practical design, allowed her to find her own role within the project. She said that having the opportunity to participate in the competition was “a great honor.” Instructor Tzu-Ling Huang also took this opportunity to encourage more students: “Being willing to participate in various competitions is one of the fastest ways to help yourself grow”.

Shao-Ting Hung, Director of the Taiwan Tech Language Center, said that seeing students take the language skills they have accumulated in the classroom onto the international stage is the Language Center’s greatest source of satisfaction and achievement. He encouraged students, saying: “Language is not only a key that opens the world; it is also a window through which the world can see you. This team used English to bring Taiwan’s creativity to the international stage, while also allowing the world to see the vitality, care, and action-oriented spirit of Taiwan Tech students. I hope more students will bravely take the first step, because the world will not remember those who never speak up; it will remember those who are willing to make their voices heard and have the courage to innovate.”

The “2026 5th Taiwan Tech SDGs English Presentation Competition” was organized by the Taiwan Tech Language Center.

Taiwan Tech Language Center Official Website: https://lc.ntust.edu.tw

WTUN Award Announcement: https://www.wtu-n.net/2026/05/wtun-student-competition-2025-26-the-winners/