The Language Center of Taiwan Tech held the 2025 4th Taiwan Tech SDGs English Presentation Competition on March 28. The competition aimed to enhance participants’ understanding of global sustainability issues through English presentations, while fostering professional communication skills and international academic literacy. Emphasizing the importance of multilingualism and interdisciplinary backgrounds, the event encouraged students from different departments and nationalities to form teams, showcasing the spirit of cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Group photo of the 2025 4th Taiwan Tech SDGs English Presentation Competition.In the front row, from left to right: Mr. Chih-Kai Lin, Section Director of the Taiwan Tech Language Center; Dr. Pei-Yun Yang, Assistant Professor, Department of Physics, National Taiwan University; Dr. Yu-Kai Liao, Professor, International Degree Program in Climate Change and Sustainable Development, NTU; and Mr. Nate Fifield, Advisor, Foundation for Scholarly Exchange (Fulbright Taiwan).

The competition adopted a rigorous two-stage evaluation process. In the preliminary round, three external experts were invited to conduct a comprehensive assessment based on the academic depth of the presentations, the logical structure and organization, and the participants’ English proficiency. From this round, 11 teams - comprising a total of 29 students - were selected to advance to the finals, where they engaged in in-depth discussions on key issues related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The core theme of the final round was SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, focusing on ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages. Participants were also required to integrate one additional goal from a selected list for interdisciplinary exploration: SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 5: Gender Equality, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, or SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

The final round featured a distinguished panel of interdisciplinary academic judges, including Dr. Pei-Yun Yang (Assistant Professor, Department of Physics, National Taiwan University), Dr. Yu-Kai Liao (Professor, International Degree Program on Climate Change and Sustainable Development, NTU), and Mr. Nate Fifield (Advisor, Foundation for Scholarly Exchange). The panel evaluated the teams from both disciplinary and academic English communication perspectives, ensuring a well-rounded and thorough review.

The first-place team presented an in-depth analysis and innovative solutions on the topic of “Balanced Diet and Health”.

The First Prize and Popularity Award were both claimed by Team 10, an interdisciplinary research group consisting of Yang Ho (Bachelor of Management), Carolina Chandra Sutedjo (Department of Chemical Engineering), Erick Adrian Ho (Department of Architecture), and Kristy Juanita Felicia (Department of Design). The team delivered an in-depth analysis and proposed innovative solutions addressing issues related to balanced diets and health. Their presentation was thorough and well-structured, with rigorous argumentation and fluent, precise English delivery - earning unanimous praise from the judges.

The second-place team conducted a systematic exploration of the issue of student mental health.

The second-place award went to Team 3, composed of Chao-Hsiang Cheng and Tzu-Wei Chen from the Department of Applied Foreign Languages. Their presentation offered a systematic exploration of student mental health, providing a precise analysis of its root causes and impacts, along with diverse and practical strategies for improvement. Their insightful discussion was highly thought-provoking. Third place was awarded to Team 4, consisting of Su-Li Wang, Hsin-Pai Lin, and Tai-Hua Hsieh, also from the Department of Applied Foreign Languages. Their research focused on issues related to students' physical and mental health, exploring the use of reading as a coping strategy. The presentation was well-structured, articulately delivered, and offered deep reflections that strongly resonated with the judges.

The third-place team focused their research on issues related to students’ physical and mental health.

The competition also awarded the Honorable Mention Awards to Ching-Yuan Li and Su-Chen Lu from the second group of the Bachelor of Engineering program, for their study exploring the formation mechanisms of aesthetic perception and its impacts. Another group of outstanding works was awarded to the sixth interdisciplinary team, including Guan-Ting Kuo and Yu-Sheng Cheng from the Institute of Electronic and Computer Engineering, Bo-Jung Lee from the Department of Applied Foreign Languages, and Hung-Chen Chen from the Department of Mechanical Engineering. They conducted an interdisciplinary analysis of the relationship between drinking water and health.

The Honorable Mention Award teams completed their presentations and joined together in a rallying chant to promote sustainable action.

Professor Shao-Ting Hung, Director of the Language Center, noted during the opening ceremony that this year’s competition showcased highly diverse and interdisciplinary teams representing various colleges at Taiwan Tech. Multiple cross-departmental research groups embodied the spirit of interdisciplinary integration and collaboration. The event attracted enthusiastic participation from numerous graduate students, reflecting a deep and growing interest in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) built over three consecutive years of English presentation competitions. Through dialogue and exchange of ideas, the competition sparked innovative perspectives and forward-looking insights, significantly contributing to the promotion and deeper understanding of sustainable development concepts.

The top three winning teams will receive professional coaching from the Taiwan Tech Language Center and are encouraged to represent Taiwan Tech in the upcoming international competition organized by the World Technology Universities Network (WTUN). Two teams have already successfully submitted their applications, with hopes of delivering excellent results by the end of May and bringing honor to the university.

• Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgLLCtnvM_I