2022-Winter-FGU

The Handover Ceremony for the Seventh President
At 10:00 am on August 2nd, 2021, Fo Guang University (FGU) held the "Seventh President Handover Ceremony" in Yun Qi Building on campus. Dr. Jow-Fei Ho succeeded Dr. Chaur-Shin Yung as the new president. In the future, Dr. Chaur-Shin Yung will be the Chancellor for Fo Guang Shan University Consortium.
Although the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced that the Nationwide Epidemic Alert was downgraded to level 2, the handover ceremony simultaneously took place both on-site and online. Vice Presidents Dr. Hsuan-Te Lan, Dr. San-Qi Liu, and Dr. Chao-Ming Fu attended on-site. All the faculty and staff participated in the ceremony online, and build the second site with online video streaming in Fo Guang Shan. On behalf of the Venerable Master Hsing Yun, Monk Xinbao of Fo Guang Shan presented the letter of appointment. And Venerable Master Ci Hui, Chairman of Fo Guang University, gave blessings to both new and outgoing president. It seemed that she was at the ceremony on-site. The scene was quite heartwarming.
Venerable Master Ci Hui especially made a speech through online streaming in the ceremony. She said “Fo Guang University had been established for 20 years. During Dr. Chaur-Shin Yung’s incumbency as president, the concept of Venerable Master Hsing Yun could be passed down. Therefore, Venerable Master Hsing Yun, the fouder of Fo Guang Shan, hoped that Dr. Yung could continue as the president for seven universities of Fo Guang Shan University Consortium, served in Fo Guang Shan University Consortium as the Chancellor, and provide guidance for Fo Guang Shan University Consortium.

 
FGU Alumni Association was officially established
Fo Guang University (FGU) has been founded for 22 years. FGU gain the recognition and preference from many enterprises. In order to strengthen the relationship between school and alumni, encourage the interaction around all alumni, and gather up all alumni’s centripetal force, FGU held the inaugural meeting of FGU Alumni Association in Yun Wu Library on September 10th, 2021. Tsung-hsien Lin, the President of Preparation Committee of alumni association and the Chairman of National Animal Industry Foundation (NAIF), returned to FGU with about 50 alumni to make recommendations for the future direction of FGU Alumni Association. President Jow-Fei Ho and Vice President Chao-Ming Fu also attended the meeting to witness the election results of the Supervisory board.
Tsung-hsien Lin, the Chairman of Preparation Committee of the Alumni Association, was also elected as the first president. Mr. Lin said: “The alumni association is a critical strength in the development of university. I used to be a part of my alma master---FGU. In the future, I want to convene more and more alumni to join campaigns of the association, enrich the strength of the association, and make the association as the platform for communication and interaction. I fully support the development of my alma mater.”
President Ho said: “The development of the university is closely related to the operation of the alumni association. The association not only provides assistance to the school’s development, but also urges the school to be better and better. Moreover, alumni can develop friendship to each other in the association. Therefore, after taking office, I especially focused on the operation of the association. Fortunately, despite the impact of the epidemic, it is possible to gather up the strength of all alumni to establish today. In the future, I hope to strengthen substantive functions of alumni association especially through the project of Industry-Academy Cooperation and providing employment opportunities for students. I hope the project can help the school a lot.”

 
FGU Residential Colleges officially unveiled
After years of promotion, the Fo Guang University (FGU) Residential Colleges have finally been legalized this year. In the beginning of establishment, FGU had a proactive approach to promote “Collegiate University” in the school dormitories and build five distinctive residential colleges in order to implement the FGU motto “Righteousness, Uprightness, Virtue, and Compassion", mentioned by Venerable Master Hsing Yun in life. The unveiling ceremony of residential colleges was held on October 19th. President Ho said “The ‘Collegiate University’ of FGU is a new milestone. Thank the Chief Yung-Dong Shih very much for assisting in promotion of FGU Residential Colleges. The FGU Residential College thinks out of box of the dormitory. It is not only a place to rest, but also a place to learn the personality traits that should be possessed in life. I look forward to both college and residential colleges. FGU Students can explore their interests in different residential colleges, and create a wonderful career for themselves.”
Each residential college has its own characteristics. Water Cloud Residential College, representing "jue (awareness)", mainly focus on  the education of Understanding and Implementation. Through the education of life conservation, we want to inspire students to care for life, be enthusiastic for learning, and have artistic conservation. Lanyuan Residential College, representing Righteousness, cultivate independent thinking and judgment ability, enhance social justice and public participation, and be loyalty to friends and understand the character of kindness. Linmei Residential College, representing Uprightness, provides students with an opportunities to reflect on their own life, learn to know what is right, and understand their self-worth so as to make a better and upright person. The pursuit of truth and the absorption of knowledge are two main elements of Haiyun Residential College. The college has a lecture for teachers and students to learn together, has various activities guiding students to think, and provide students with self-reflection on their lives. Yunlai Residential College takes Compassion as the core value, which includes fulfilling life care, treating people with sincerity, being dedicated to work with enjoying company, and enhancing the relationship around each group. Fo Guang University hopes that students can experience the unique culture and connotation in each residential college through living in different dormitories. We hope that all students who have experienced the life of residential college will be proud of FGU Residential College in their future careers.
 
 
FGU P + M won “Red dot design award” again
The “Red dot design award” is one of the largest and most influential design competitions around the world. The categories include “Product Design”, “Brands & Communication Design” and “Design Concept”. The award attracting more than 60 countries and 10,000 works’ submissions every year is a major event for designers worldwide. Ting-wei Xu, a graduate of FGU Department of Product and Media Design (P+M) this year, participated in the competition with the result of the graduation work Shi Niu (ten cows or recapturing cows)”. The work combined with the thoughts of Zen Buddhism, and won the recognition of the animation and film category of “Brands & Communication Design”. Shi Niu was guided by four teachers, Wen-xin Guo, Yi-ling Luo, Guang-zhi Luo, and Wei-chang Zhang. Ting-wei Xu said that the picture of ten cows is the key icon of Zen Buddhism, illustrating ten kinds of mental journey of self-seeking in life. “拾牛”, recaptures the classics, recaptures the self, thinks outside the traditional box, reinterpret with a modern style, and visually leads viewers into the wonderland of Zen Buddhism.
Mr. Guang-zhi Luo, one of teachers, said “Our students were encouraged to combine Buddhism’s concepts by teachers when creating works. After four years of education and training, students participated in the Buddhist Underground Palace Product Design Competition and other design competitions about religion. In this year, the theme of the graduation exhibition is “Ten Directions in One Mind. We hope that students can take advantage of their design expertise, combining the “goodwill” of Buddhism to let everyone know. The design is exhibited again this year, which means that our specialty of designs has been recognized. We also hope that the “goodwill” will be continued.” President Ho said “The Department of Product and Media Design has won numerous awards in various competitions over the years. In the past, I hoped that Fo Guang University would be closely connected to Fo Guang Shan. After taking office, I also took “one expertise in one department and one service in one mountain” as one of directions of school's management, combining Buddhism concepts with art, craft and life, so that more people can understand Buddhism.

 
FGU has awarded the Environmental Education Award for 13 years
In order to encourage county residents to participate in environmental education, the Yilan County Government has formulated various incentives, subsidy plans, and commendations for outstanding units. On 19^th, the government held a ceremony for awards about environmental protection to commend the winners in public. This year, Fo Guang University won the “109 Outstanding Unit of Green Procurement”, which has been recognized since 1997. Dr. Hong-teng Zhou, a professor of Department of Future Studies and LOHAS Industry, individually won the “8^th Yilan County Environmental Education Award”. Fo Guang University’s efforts in environmental protection can be showed.
Our school is located in Mountain Linmei, Jiaoxi. The environment is beautiful and gorgeous. Because of the natural environment, we know how to co-exist with nature. While maintaining basic needs and pursuing a better quality of life, we reduce using natural resources and toxic substances, and reduce emitting pollutants. Our main aim is not to affect the consumption patterns of the rights and interests of future generations. We purchased stuffs made from recycled materials, and gave priority to   environmental purchases. That is, the purchased products have the least harm to the environment and human health. According to Greenliving Information Platform of Environmental Protection Administration, Executive Yuan, Green procurement refers to purchasing the products with the Green Mark, Type 2 Green Mark, Energy Label, Water Label, Green Building Material Label, Carbon Footprint Label, Taiwan Wood Mark, or other foreign labels.
President Ho said “Fo Guang University has a beautiful and gorgeous environment. ‘School in the mountain, Buildings in the woods, and people in the paintings.’ The gifted environment has made us consider how to sustain it permanently. Due to citizens of the Global Village, we have responsibility for environmental protection. Moreover, the twelfth item of the Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs), announced by the United Nations, is ‘Responsible Consumption and Production’. Fo Guang University will also uphold this spirit in the future to co-exist with Yilan’s gorgeous environment.

 
Distinguished alumni returned to alma mater for commendation
On October 26, 2021, Fo Guang University (FGU) held an award ceremony for distinguished alumni in the administrative meeting. President Jow-Fei Ho, three vice-presidents, and other teachers attended the ceremony to appreciate supports of outstanding alumni for FGU. Before the ceremony, the President Tsung-hsien Lin of FGU Alumni Association led relevant directors and supervisors to pay President Ho a visit. President Lin presented souvenirs to FGU and President Ho, and President HO also handed over the certificate of FGU Alumni Association to him. President Lin said that he will proactively cooperate with the school's activities and the plans of the president and vice president, and drive the alumni association growing up with school.
In the award ceremony, the winning alumni included Mr. Tsung-hsien Lin who was alumnus of the Department of Public Affairs in College of Social Sciences, Sheng-zhi Lin who was alumni of the Department of Health and Creative Vegetarian Science in College of LOHAS Industry, Su-hua Hu who was alumnus of the Department of Chinese Literature and Application in College of Humanities, Zhi-wen Shi who was alumnus of the Department of Public Affairs in College of Social Sciences, and Zong-yi Xiao who was alumnus of the Graduate Institute of Religious Studies in the College of Humanities. The alumnus Sheng-zhi Lin, who has made great achievements in many domestic and overseas vegetable food competitions. His family went to our school today to participate in the commendation ceremony and received considerable applause.


FGU agreed to cooperate with partners of interdisciplinary education
        In order to cooperate with the Ministry of Education to promote the implementation plan of educational partnerships between colleges and off-campus learning organizations, our school enhanced mutual academic skills and community exchanges between teachers and students through union, alliance, and resource sharing. In the first semester of the 110 academic year (110-1), Fo Guang University, Tai-Fu Startup Association, Moscow City University, Jenteh Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, and Lianda Wushih Marina Resort signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Education, and looked forward to cooperating in technology, medical care, humanities, arts, sports, education, and academic activities. The ever-changing development of technology has given birth to the novel teaching method. We look forward to providing excellent teachers for FGU, and students can take online courses in the future. The signing of this contract is only the beginning. After the pandemic, FGU students will have the opportunity to communicate, exchange and study so that they can bring a different learning experience to university career.

 
“FGU Goods” is widely acclaimed
On November 26th, 2021, Fo Guang University (FGU) Office of Research and Development (R&D) led students of the Department of Health and Creative Vegetarian Science to exhibit at the “Taiwan International Tourism Souvenirs Exhibition”. They wanted to promote vegetable food products and some products of Creative Industries, made by teachers and students. This was the first time that FGU's product “FGU Goods” was exhibited. We launched 7 kinds of healthy vegetable sauces, 3 kinds of healthy noodles, and various products of Creative Industries. FGU has made much effort to promote the culture of vegetable food. “FGU Goods” products will soon be sold and promoted by manufacturers in Yilan. We expect that FGU's products can be bought in various channels in the future, be the stronghold of domestic vegetable food’s R&D and promotion, and build the country's first vegetable food R&D center.

 
The “Change” of 7th FGU Golden Bee Awards
The Golden Bee Awards Ceremony of Fo Guang University (FGU) clubs launches a typical “word” to encourage students each year. In Taiwan this year, people experienced the Level 3 epidemic alert, and all students have to take classes remotely. Therefore, this year's theme is “Change”, which represents operation, turnaround, changes of mind, and new changes. Members need to follow the mainstream and move with the times. Constant “Change” is the only way to turn crises into turning points no matter how members think in mentality or do in activities.
President Ho said “FGU Golden Bee Awards is more and more exciting each year. I am touched by student’s dedication when participating in Golden Bee Awards each year. In recent years, members of FGU clubs have made efforts despite of troubles of the epidemic. And the performance still shows the brilliant creativity and profession of club members.
More than 50% of FGU students are involved in club activities. We hope that FGU students can participate in at least one club, learning to conduct themselves, behave well, and the spirit of cooperation that cannot be taught in the classroom. Finally, we wish the next members well with a large success of clubs by taking the spirit of diligent “bees”!