SCU Rated as 2018 Character Education Featured University

On October 25, Soochow University was rated as one of the best character education featured schools in 2018 by the Ministry of Education (MOE) for its effort in promoting moral education among students. As the only university in northern Taiwan winning the honor this year, SCU has nabbed the title for a second time in a row.

Soochow promotes moral education through four major strategies: courses, activities, facilities, and services. It has offered 10 general education courses integrating character education in their contents and materials, while holding activities such as the “First Mile” orientation to cultivate students’ self-disciplinary skills and moral attitude. The School has also established all-gender restrooms and an indigenous student resource center to create a friendly campus students of different gender identities and ethnic groups. Moreover, it has provided students with opportunities to volunteer or serve home and abroad in regions that are facing shortage of resources to help those in need.

In August, 2012, the University renamed its Life Counseling Division as “Moral and Civil Education Center” with a view to putting more emphasis on moral education. The school administration aims to create an education system balancing moral, intellectual, physical, social, and aesthetic education, which have also been known as “five ways of life” widely-adopted in Chinese culture.

This was Soochow’s second and consecutive win of the title. Last time the University won the honor was in 2014, as winners each year may not apply for the Award in the next three years according to rules set by the MOE. In fact, SCU has been subsidized for six years in a row by the MOE’s Character Education Enhancement School Project since the academic year 2013-14.