Taiwan Tech recently hosted the second SDGs English Tongue Twister Competition, jointly organized by the College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering, College of Applied Sciences, and School of Management. Combining English learning, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and cross-cultural exchange, the event aimed to boost students' confidence and willingness to speak English while encouraging interaction between domestic and international students, demonstrating the four colleges' collaborative efforts to foster an English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) environment and a more internationalized campus.

The College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering, College of Applied Sciences, and School of Management at Taiwan Tech jointly hosted the second SDGs English Tongue Twister Competition, attracting 23 Taiwanese students and seven international students.

The event also invited instructors from Fulbright Taiwan to coach students on English tongue twister techniques.

The event attracted 30 participants, including 23 Taiwanese students and seven international students. Building on the success of the inaugural competition, this year's program introduced a new Chinese tongue twister challenge for international students, encouraging them to practice Chinese pronunciation, tones, and rhythm while experiencing the fun of learning Mandarin. Taiwanese students, in turn, helped their international peers understand the content and master the pronunciation, creating a two-way language learning and cross-cultural exchange experience.

Foreign students are diligently practicing Chinese tongue twisters.

Che-Chou Shen, Associate Dean of the College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, noted that this year's competition placed greater emphasis on interaction between domestic and international students, reflecting the college's continued commitment to EMI education and the cultivation of global perspectives. The organizers also invited instructors from Fulbright Taiwan to introduce the event, explain the competition rules, lead warm-up activities, and coach participants through the tongue twister challenges.

Beyond language practice, the event incorporated SDG-themed games and discussions, encouraging students from diverse cultural backgrounds to share their perspectives in English on topics such as environmental protection, sustainable consumption, and climate action. Through these activities, participants reflected on how sustainability can be integrated into everyday life while strengthening their global citizenship and intercultural communication skills.

Students from Taiwan and abroad exchanged ideas on sustainability through interactive SDG-themed games and discussions.

Hsin-Yu Fan, an undergraduate student in the College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and the first-place winner of the English Tongue Twister Competition, shared that she had only encountered Chinese tongue twisters before and found the English version both challenging and enjoyable. She joined the event hoping to meet students from different cultural backgrounds and gain more confidence in speaking English. She particularly appreciated the SDG discussion session, saying it helped her realize that her understanding of environmental issues had not been comprehensive. Organizing her thoughts and expressing them in English not only strengthened her language skills but also deepened her understanding of sustainability. “This experience gave me greater confidence in communicating with international students in English, and I can really feel how much I have improved”, she said.

Hsin-Yu Fan, the first-place winner of the English Tongue Twister Competition, hoped the event would provide more opportunities to interact with international students and build her confidence in speaking English.

Chiao-Yin Tsai, a student from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering in the College of Engineering and the second-place winner, said she joined the event because she wanted to “play with English” in a fun and engaging way while creating more opportunities to speak the language. She found memorizing the tongue twisters particularly challenging, as contestants had to perform from memory without scripts, testing both their English proficiency and their memory. She added that one of the most enjoyable moments was watching international students attempt Chinese tongue twisters. Seeing them work hard to master the pronunciation and tones made her realize that she probably looked just as amusing to them while practicing English tongue twisters.

Chiao-Yin Tsai from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering hoped to practice English in a fun way and won second place in the competition.

Looking ahead, the four colleges will continue working together to organize a wider range of activities integrating EMI, language learning, sustainable development, and international exchange. By extending learning beyond the classroom, these initiatives aim to create opportunities for students to explore the world, exchange ideas, and build lasting friendships while fostering a more internationally connected and interactive campus environment. Through continued cross-cultural engagement, Taiwan Tech hopes to broaden students' global perspectives and strengthen their competitiveness in an increasingly interconnected world.