The Sanxia Community Co-Creation Project Kick-off Meeting, hosted by the University Social Responsibility (USR) project team at Ming Chi University of Technology (MCUT), was successfully held on April 28, 2025, in Sanxia, New Taipei City. The meeting marked the formal launch of the project “Co-op Design: Moving Beyond San Chiao Yung to Foster Community Cultural Intelligence and Global Competence.”

Under the leadership of President Thu-Hua Liu, the event brought together university executives, international and local academic partners, faculty members, students, and community stakeholders to initiate a long-term collaboration aimed at cultural sustainability and global engagement.

The project is coordinated by the College of Management and Design, with Dean Jin-Kuan Lin spearheading cross-disciplinary collaboration. The initiative integrates four academic departments—Industrial Design, Business Administration, Industrial Engineering and Management, and Visual Communication Design—alongside two degree programs: the Bachelor Program in Digital Marketing and Design and the International MBA Program. Together, these units contribute their expertise in design, management, and internationalization to shape a robust and socially impactful USR model.

Dr. Jau-Rong Chen, Executive Director of the USR initiative and Principal Investigator of the project, emphasized in her remarks:

“Through the Co-Design methodology, we aim to cultivate students’ capacity for local engagement and global competence. This project seeks to translate cultural intelligence into actionable strategies that support sustainable development and empower community stakeholders.”

Centered on the themes of integrating local resources, strengthening multi-stakeholder cooperation, and establishing Sanxia as an international co-creation hub, the meeting featured vibrant exchanges on cultural revitalization, youth participation, and transnational collaboration. The event generated constructive dialogue and laid the groundwork for future joint efforts.

A special highlight of the day was the Balinese traditional welcome dance performed by international students, which infused the event with a rich cultural ambiance and embodied the project’s commitment to intercultural understanding.

The university extends sincere appreciation to the USR administrative team, whose careful planning and precise execution were instrumental in ensuring the success of the meeting.

Looking ahead, the MCUT USR team will continue to work in close partnership with local communities, industry, and international collaborators. Rooted in design-oriented social practice, the project aims to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and reinforce the university’s commitment to social responsibility through impactful, globally visible community engagement.

中文：「Co-op Design」三峽社區共創計畫正式啟動 明志科大鏈結全球與在地行動
This article is simultaneously published in the 28th edition of the SDGs E-paper.