About / Overview :
General Education Philosophy and Teaching Objectives

The founding principle of Yuan Ze University emphasizes a human-centric approach and promotes the motto “Sincerity, Diligence, Thrifty, and Prudence.”

Yuan Ze University advocates the educational philosophy of “Excellence, Pragmatism, Holism and Harmonious Unification.” Excellence and pragmatism aim to cultivate expertise, while holism and harmonious unification aspire to foster ambitious goals. The university adheres to the principle of developing individuals with a comprehensive range of multiple intelligences and aims to cultivate a healthy and happy attitude towards life. The goal is to cultivate pragmatic-minded individuals who are holistic in their development and to create a distinctive school character and student qualities based on this vision. In line with this direction, Yuan Ze University’s College of General Studies developed three major conceptual frameworks.

01. Human-centric

In the modern sense, Human-centric General Education

is an educational approach in general education that aims to help learners break free from the person or group constraints imposed by their talents, habits, preconceptions, community language, social norms, learning patterns, and blind adherence to authority. It focuses on developing learners’ multiple intelligences and unleashing their potential. The goal is to empower individuals to break free from self-imposed limitations, regain the freedom to learn and act without restrictions and pursue their development to become well-rounded.

02. General education for mature learners centered around fostering multiple intelligence

With the aim of cultivating intellectual, technological, and managerial leaders of the 21st century with a deep understanding of humanities, the planning and designing of the general education curriculum focus on the holistic development of various potentials and creative multiple intelligences in individuals based on Yuan Ze University’s vision of establishing a “New University Paradigm for the 21st Century”. 

03. To cultivate well-rounded individuals who possess adaptability, resilience, and a commitment to pursuing excellence

A virtuous general education should be built upon the foundations of multiple intelligences, professional knowledge, and practical skills in individuals.

We should adhere to realistic principles, with knowledge, skills, and economic change as focal points. We aim to develop learners’ multiple intelligences, improve their thinking and action abilities, rebuild solid knowledge foundations, and equip them with practical skills and a positive approach to learning. This will enable them to adapt to situations in the future, understand how to effectively apply their knowledge and skills, continuously broaden their understanding, and embrace life-long learning, becoming excellent human resources and well-integrated individuals.
YZU’s College of General Studies primarily builds upon the university’s active promotion of the Teaching Excellence Project and Path to Top University Project. Based on institutional research, the Digital Interdisciplinary Innovative Talent Cultivation Program (Digit+@YZU) has been developed, focusing on cultivating digital technology talents (Digit), providing value-added training in global mobility and cross-domain integration (+ Plus), and extending the program’s reach to practical fields in Taoyuan, with YZU as the core (@YZU).

Based on the guidance of 5 overall goals, 12 strategies, and the implementation of 24 action plans, our university requires students to possess 10 essential competencies:

  1. Professional Competence
  2. Problem-solving Skills
  3. Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Creativity
  4. Ethical Judgment and Moral Thinking
  5. Civic Responsibility
  6. Collaboration and Leadership
  7. Bilingual Communication and Expression
  8. Global Perspective
  9. Lifelong learning ability
  10. Technological Application
Recently, we have been actively promoting the development of the two significant advantages and characteristics of “Global interdisciplinary studies” and “Industry-focused development”. Building upon our original plan, we will continue to improve the
8 core competencies of general education:
  1. Humanities and Environmental Care
  2. Ethical Reasoning and Practical Application
  3. Perceptual and Interpretive Understanding
  4. Logical and Scientific Thinking
  5. Civic Responsibility and Social Engagement
  6. Effective Communication and Teamwork
  7. Cultural Learning and International Perspectives
  8. Critical Thinking and Innovation

Motto :

Sincerity, Diligence, Thrifty, Prudence


Educational Philosophy :

Excellence, Pragmatism, Holism,
Harmonious Unification

Our Vision


Digital Interdisciplinary (Digit+@YZU)


Top 10 Fundamental Competencies
at the University Level


Emphasizing the cultivation of the eight core competencies in general education, with a focus on the distinctive characteristics of “Classics” and “New bilingualism”.

Our Goals


Nurturing outstanding modern citizens who possess integrity, professionalism, and a balanced combination of expertise and general knowledge.
In general, the current planning of Yuan Ze University’s College of General Studies primarily focuses on promoting the New Bilingual Teaching, Boundless University Initiatives (including the Classics Fifty Program, Xiaoli Cultural Corridor Exploration activities, and the Youth Hope Project), the Flexible Learning Plan (Self-Directed Learning Projects and Micro-Credited Course), and University Social Responsibility (USR).

New Bilingual Teaching

  • Programming Language: Compulsory Basic Programming

    In order to enhance students’ digital competitiveness and future participation abilities comprehensively and cultivate talents needed for artificial intelligence and the digital economy, starting in 2017, all undergraduate students must take introductory programming courses. Additionally, digital application courses/programs that combine the development characteristics of various colleges, as well as interdisciplinary digital programs, are planned to be offered. 

  • English Instruction: One-quarter of courses are taught in English

    In addition to the 12 credits of general English courses, Yuan Ze University implements a policy of having 18 credits of compulsory courses in each department taught in English, aiming to become a “bilingual university”.  Since 2017 (the Fall semester of 2017), each college has established an English-taught bachelor’s degree program to cultivate interdisciplinary talents with global mobility. Yuan Ze University’s College of General Studies also offers English-taught general education courses. 

The Classics (To Read Classical Books)

Yuan Ze University implemented the Classics Fifty Program in 2006. Undergraduate students are required to accumulate a total of 50 points by reading Chinese and foreign classics in order to graduate. This program aims to enrich students’ knowledge in various fields, broaden their perspectives, and deepen their thinking through self-study or guided reading courses on classics. Students are also encouraged to improve their thinking and communication skills through report writing, certification interviews, and peer observation.  Furthermore, the program seeks to cultivate students’ interest and habit of reading, allowing them to accumulate more knowledge and ideas, generate insightful and creative thoughts, and develop a philosophical approach to life and decision-making. In recent years, the program has continued to improve. In 2023, the Classics Fifty Program evolved into a required “Selected Reading of Classics” course. It has expanded its reach beyond the campus and even internationally, such as through collaborations with the Taoyuan City Government in promoting the “Boundaryless University - Classic Reading Program”.

Flexible Learning Plan

  • Micro-Credited Courses Modules:

    Students are guided to engage in various field issues through off-campus visits, hands-on activities, workshops, lectures, and community services.  This stimulates students’ learning and critical thinking abilities, leading them to develop multiple competencies across different fields and achieve the specific goals of a well-rounded education.

  • Self-Directed Learning Projects:

    Students propose a study plan independently. After rigorous and careful evaluation, the projects are supervised by teachers specializing in relevant fields, enabling students to explore independently and write learning records. Through this process, students engage in deep learning and self-cultivation.

Social Responsibility & Future

In order to implement our university’s vision of societal care, responsiveness to social needs, and service to the community, Yuan Ze University’s general education courses encourage students to engage with the community actively, provide care for the disadvantaged, and gain first-hand experience in real-life societal contexts. By providing service-learning courses and planning subsidized corporate visits, we enable service-learning integration into general education courses based on specific needs. This encourages teachers and students to care for society and participate in society-oriented general education.

The 2017 University Social Responsibility Practice Plan aims to continue this ideology and spirit by promoting the “Taoyuan Cultural Corridor” youth tour guide empowerment program. The plan comprises four components: corridor construction, local guiding, field exploration, and working holidays. By cultivating young tour guides, we aim to guide them in gaining a deeper understanding of the local history, society, and culture. Through this, we seek to establish a model of sustainable tourism that promotes in-depth travel experiences and short trips, where the young guides will utilize their skills to introduce local history and culture to foreign visitors so that they can have a deeper understanding of Taoyuan City. Since 2016, the College of General Studies has signed cooperation agreements with various local organizations Through these partnerships, we have successfully established a network of educational, agricultural, cultural, and reading institutions to create a comprehensive industry system within the “Taoyuan Cultural Corridor” and fulfil our university’s pioneering role in fostering local engagement and social responsibility.