NTNU Sustainable Development Goal 11

SDG11 Sustainable Cities and Communities

More than 250 arts and cultural performances are scheduled for 2024.

Promoting green transportation with increasing success each year, advancing the vision of a healthy, low-carbon, and sustainable city.

YouBike Usage Frequency and Carbon Emission Reduction

The university has 357 UBIKE parking spots on and around the campus. Usage frequency increased annually from 2022 to 2024, resulting in a significant reduction in carbon emissions. At a rate of 0.196 kg CO2e per ride, the total carbon reduction from 2022 to 2024 reached 348,454 kg CO2e.

The university actively supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11, "Sustainable Cities and Communities, and collaborates closely with the local community. Campus spaces and facilities are shared with local residents, promoting cultural preservation as well as arts and cultural activities. Through the University Social Responsibility (USR) program, the university is deeply involved in revitalizing Kinmen by systematically preserving its unique culture and partnering with local museums to promote multilingual guided tours, ensuring the intergenerational transmission of local heritage. Additionally, the university launched the "University Way" bicycle commuting initiative to encourage low-carbon transportation. This program connects faculty and students from three universities to jointly create a safe and comfortable bicycle path, effectively reducing pollution, improving quality of life and traffic safety in the local area, and showcasing the university’s commitment and achievements in building a livable and sustainable city.

A Globally Local Approach to Kinmen's Local Revitalization and Youth Entrepreneurship Empowerment

The NTNU University Social Responsibility (USR) program, designed to rebuild social resilience and promote local development, guides students through a theoretical and practical learning process centered on “global localism.” This approach enhances cultural governance in Kinmen by systematically conducting interviews and research to compile traditional stories from the island’s elders. The program also organizes workshops, field trips, and lectures to disseminate and preserve these narratives. Additionally, in collaboration with the Kinmen Museum of History and Folklore, the program supports a multilingual exhibition project in the museum’s main building, completing the planning and recording of multilingual audio guides to ensure the transmission of Kinmen’s unique culture across generations.

Contributions to Long-Term Intangible Cultural Heritage

The NTNU Graduate Institute of Ethnomusicology has long specialized in the study of Indigenous music, musical imagery, and music documentaries. Through recordings, videos, and publications on traditional music and folk songs, the institute has undertaken significant efforts to preserve Indigenous music, language, and culture. In this process, it has also uncovered many ancient folk songs that are rarely performed today and have been nearly lost to time, making vital contributions to the preservation of intangible cultural heritage.

The intangible cultural heritage of the Yami people is exemplified by the “Clapping Song Festival.

Open Campus Green Spaces

Beyond the school buildings and sports fields, the remainder of the campus is designed as green spaces and is open to the public free of charge. The Puzi Building, Wenhui Hall, Auditorium, and Administration Building on campus are designated as Taipei City Historic Sites, reflecting their considerable historical value. Guided tours are also available.

The school offers open campus spaces where members of the surrounding community gather daily for various activities.

University Way creates biking paths between the three universities in the National Taiwan University system

Initiated by NTNU, the “University Path” cycling commuting initiative was launched in response to World Cycling Day. This collaborative effort involves faculty and students from National Taiwan University, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, and NTNU, aiming to promote low-carbon and sustainable transportation. By integrating local cultural characteristics, the project seeks to create a safe, comfortable, and economically sustainable university town. It features three distinctive cycling routes—one along the riverbank, one through a bustling commercial area, and one near historical sites—offering diverse low-carbon commuting options for nearly 100,000 students and faculty traveling between campuses. This initiative effectively reduces pollution from public transportation and automobiles while encouraging the health and fitness of students and faculty. In addition to enhancing the quality of life and stimulating community economic development, the project, supported by industry, government, academia, and local neighborhoods, improves sidewalks and traffic safety infrastructure. This cross-sector collaboration exemplifies low-carbon living and transportation resilience, embodying the vision of a safe, comfortable, and economically sustainable university town. It is hoped that this initiative will expand to include more neighboring schools in the future.

Faculty and students from the three universities within the National Taiwan University system participated in a joint riverside cycling event.