[Office of University Social Responsibility]

May 22 marks the International Day for Biological Diversity designated by the United Nations. This year's theme emphasizes "Be part of the Plan." To echo the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and in celebration of National Chengchi University’s (NCCU) 70th anniversary since relocating to Taiwan and the 110th anniversary of the Taipei Zoo, both institutions—key educational establishments in Wenshan District’s Wanhsing Village—came together to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) and jointly promote Wenshan as a humanities-ecology university town.

Presiding over the signing ceremony, President Lee Tsai-Yen represented NCCU in signing the MOU with Director Chen Yi-Tsung of the Taipei Zoo. The two parties will engage in in-depth cooperation in education, culture, environmental protection, and social responsibility, aligning with Taipei City Government's “Three Cats Project 2.0” to revitalize local life, ecology, and industry in Wenshan.

Lee remarked that while NCCU is a research institution and the Zoo is an environmental education site, both serve as educational neighbors in Wanhsing Village. Although NCCU's environmental education efforts began relatively recently, its collaboration with the Zoo under the Three Cats Project 2.0 aims to shape Muzha into a university town that balances cultural atmosphere and natural ecology. He also announced that NCCU will publish its first Sustainability Report this year and continue its USR projects and local collaborations to nurture students who contribute to society.

Chen Yi-Tsung emphasized that the Zoo, with its rich ecological resources, complements NCCU’s strengths in humanities, law, business, and social sciences, creating a synergistic partnership. Their current collaboration includes transforming the Kao Family Ancestral Hall into the Tóu Tíng-Kuī Cultural and Historical Museum. With support from the Three Cats Project, this initiative is expected to attract more public attention to Wenshan.

Chen also shared her hopes that, based on the findings of the Three Cats Ecological Survey, a cultural eco-tourism route could be developed linking the Zoo, NCCU, Zhangshan Temple, and Maokong’s low-elevation ecosystems. Given the increasing number of foreign visitors to the Zoo and NCCU's status as the university with the highest percentage of international students and language programs in Taiwan, she envisions NCCU students serving as volunteer multilingual tour guides. She further noted that the Zoo recently signed a BOT/OT contract for an “Eco-themed Park Area and Adjacent Parking Facility,” which, together with the upcoming MRT South Ring Line, will support local development in partnership with NCCU to enhance the Wenshan area.

According to the MOU, the Zoo will provide NCCU with expert consultation on species surveys, habitat creation, and environmental education course planning. It will also offer citizen science training and certified environmental education programs for NCCU faculty, staff, and students. Additionally, the Zoo will share the results of the “Three Cats Ecological Survey” and collaborate with NCCU to promote the area’s culture, ecology, and industry for sustainable development.

NCCU will assist the Zoo in offering multilingual guided tours and participate in the Three Cats Project by supporting Satoyama River activities. The university will also work with the Zoo to promote the Tóu Tíng-Kuī Cultural and Historical Museum and organize eco-cultural tours in Muzha, while also co-hosting sustainability-related seminars and international conferences in the future.

This partnership between NCCU and the Taipei Zoo aims to jointly advance biodiversity conservation, environmental education, and social responsibility. The collaboration is expected to foster shared achievements for both institutions and generate positive impacts on society and the environment, contributing to local ecological preservation and the practice of social responsibility.

After the signing ceremony, presentations were delivered by Researcher Chou Shih-Ping from National Taiwan University’s Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, who led the Three Cats Ecological Survey, and Zhang Xin-Rou, President of the Muzha Young Farmers Association, who introduced the biodiversity significance of Muzha’s Tieguanyin tea. Attendees were left with a strong impression of Muzha’s rich local ecology and cultural heritage.