【NKUST's Concrete Implementation of ESG - Survey on Major Sustainability Issues of Stakeholder Concerns】

In recent years, sustainable development has become a global focus. In 2015, the United Nations adopted the "2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" and announced 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Simultaneously, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) promoted an educational plan for sustainable development, which has become a reference guide for policies in various countries. Higher education institutions play a crucial role in promoting sustainable development through education, research, and community service to advance societal progress. Taiwan's Ministry of Education is promoting the "University Social Responsibility (USR) Program," emphasizing local connections and talent cultivation, with a human-centered approach to enhance social recognition and development while increasing international visibility.

Since 2020, the National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology (NKUST) has integrated the SDGs into its university development plan and established the Office of Sustainable Development in 2022. The "FORCE" strategy, encompassing Foresight, Organization, Responsibility, Coordination, and Expansion, guides the university's sustainable development efforts. NKUST actively participates in international cooperation and received multiple sustainable development awards in 2022 and 2023, demonstrating outstanding achievements. In 2021, NKUST published its first "Sustainable Development Report," revealing efforts in teaching, research, environment, social participation, and governance.

NKUST values the opinions of stakeholders, collecting feedback through questionnaires and translating it into development strategies to identify major sustainable issues and enhance social impact. According to the latest GRI Standards, major issues are identified and analyzed, with the results published in the 2022 Sustainable Development Report. In the future, NKUST will continue to deepen cooperation with stakeholders, jointly promote sustainable development, build a smart green campus, and actively engage in social practice, contributing to global sustainable development.

【Excerpt from the issue No. 02, 2024 of TWAEA’s ePaper】