SU’s Shilin Local Project Wins 2025 Taiwan Sustainable Action Silver Award

On September 11, 2025, Soochow University received the Taiwan Sustainable Action Silver Award for the project “Cultural Sustainability: Constructing Shilin Studies,” led by Professor Shiow-Duan Hawang of the Department of Political Science. Accepted by Vice President Shih-Ho Wang on behalf of the school, the honor recognizes Soochow’s long-term dedication to local cultural preservation and sustainable education. 

The Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy (TAISE) conducted the 2025 Asia and Taiwan Sustainable Action Awards, evaluating entries from February to August this year. Professor Hawang’s project stood out among numerous submissions for its integration of community engagement, heritage education, and sustainable urban development aligned with UN SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. 

Since 2018, Hawang’s team has devoted continuous effort to the cultural preservation and revitalization of the Shilin district, achieving notable results such as “Preserving Historical Memory—Revitalizing Shilin Village Culture” and “From the Past to the Present: Recreating the Century-Old Shilin Spirit.” In 2023, the team advanced its work toward establishing the interdisciplinary field of “Shilin Studies.” 

Through field research, local participation, interdisciplinary teaching, and digital archiving, the team implemented several initiatives, including the preservation of the Shilin Paper Mill, the restoration of the Fudeyang Waterway landscape, and the promotion of Shennong Temple cultural heritage. They also collaborated with local schools to integrate Shilin’s history into courses and guided tours, helping students build deeper connections to their community. 

SU has long incorporated the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into its campus operations, teaching, and research. Faculty members are encouraged to embed sustainability into academic and practical projects. Related achievements are published annually in SU’s Sustainability Report and on the school’s SDGs website (https://sdgs.scu.edu.tw/). This latest recognition reaffirms Soochow’s commitment to advancing both local engagement and global sustainability.