The following is an excerpt from the “Center for Creativity and Innovation Studies Improvement Results Report”
I. Introduction
Since its establishment in August 2003, the Center for Creativity and Innovation Studies has operated as a non-departmental university-level research center, engaging in research, teaching, outreach, and exchanges. The Center has long been dedicated to promoting education and research in innovation and creativity, regarding creativity as a foundational competency and literacy across disciplines, with the goal of becoming a cross-sector innovation platform linking academia, government, and industry.
In September 2023, the Center conducted a self-evaluation. The review committee affirmed the Center’s contributions, recognizing it as one of the nation’s most important hubs for creativity research, teaching, industry innovation, and entrepreneurship. The committee advised that the Center’s mid- to long-term development should focus on two main pillars: “跨域教學” (interdisciplinary teaching) and “跨域創新研究團隊” (interdisciplinary research teams), and provided specific recommendations for further development. Based on these suggestions, the Center formulated an improvement plan in April 2024 and has continued efforts throughout the year to address the committee’s recommendations. This report summarizes the improvement outcomes over the past year in the following four areas: (1) Center Positioning and Development Plan, (2) Organizational Operations, (3) Performance Outcomes, and (4) Other Items.
II. Evaluation Items for Improvement and Achieved Results
1. Center Positioning and Development Plan
The Center will expand and deepen interdisciplinary collaboration in innovation and creativity research, with particular attention to the impact of artificial intelligence on the humanities and social sciences. Building on the university-wide foundation for interdisciplinary teaching and research, the Center will develop research topics and curriculum related to 人文人工智慧 (humanities AI). At the same time, the Center will continue to promote innovative interdisciplinary teaching and the organization and development of interdisciplinary research teams, with “跨界共生” (cross-boundary symbiosis) as its long-term development focus since 2022. This direction not only continues the Center’s previous efforts in interdisciplinary research but also further deepens its recent work in rural education and social engagement, particularly the contributions of “鹿樂平台” in supporting rural education.
To enhance research depth, the Center has encouraged researchers since 2023 to transform innovative teaching and research achievements into in-depth research, forming interdisciplinary research teams to participate in the university’s “高教深耕計畫”—specifically the “臺灣人文社會跨界共生研究中心”. In summary, the Center’s mid-term academic research focuses on two areas: first, the “跨界共生” project, aiming to address major social and humanities issues in Taiwan through knowledge; and second, AI interdisciplinary cooperation, integrating teaching and industry to achieve mutual benefit and growth for both academia and industry.
In teaching, the Center cultivates talents with insight and practical ability through the university’s “人文創新學程” and “創新與創造力學程”, while also supporting the Ministry of Education’s “數位人文計畫” to form teaching communities and refine pedagogical methods. In terms of service and inter-university collaboration, the Center assists rural education development through the 鹿樂計畫, provides digital resources for national education, culture, and art teaching via the “數位文化資源服務計畫”, enhances the higher education environment nationwide through the “大學通識計畫”, and participates in the 教育UAAT and KOOU聯盟計畫 to explore methods for cultivating artistic creativity. The following diagram (Figure 1) illustrates the Center’s current development overview:
2. Organizational Operations
In accordance with organizational regulations and practical operations, the Center has developed the following structure. The following diagram (Figure 2) presents the organizational structure of the Center for Creativity and Innovation Studies in recent years:
3. Performance Outcomes
Regarding performance outcomes, the advisory committee affirmed the Center’s longstanding contributions to interdisciplinary research and teaching innovation, especially the impact of the “鹿樂平台” in promoting rural education and social service. In addition, the Center actively promotes the integration of humanities, social sciences, and AI by organizing AI reading groups, workshops, and forums to facilitate interdisciplinary and inter-university exchange among faculty and students.
In expanding international and inter-university research collaboration, the Center has participated in several international cooperative projects, particularly in the field of sustainable education. These international collaborations, whether in sustainable education or cross-cultural research, demonstrate the Center’s active engagement in the global academic community and strengthen its role as a leading platform for interdisciplinary and international cooperation. In the future, the Center will further deepen collaborations with both industry and academia, especially in research areas combining the humanities and AI, to assist the university in formulating transformation strategies for the era of artificial intelligence, and plans to publish an “人工智慧白皮書” to provide policy recommendations for the university.
4. Other Items
The Center will continue to assist the university in planning comprehensive transformation strategies in the context of AI development. By formulating an “人工智慧白皮書”, the Center aims to ensure the university’s adaptability to technological advancements in AI, nurturing future talents with creativity and interdisciplinary competence.
III. Conclusion
Since its establishment, the Center for Creativity and Innovation Studies has remained committed to its mission of advancing education and research in innovation and creativity, striving to become a key platform for interdisciplinary innovation. In its 2024 improvement plan, the Center implemented systematic enhancements based on recommendations from the 2023 review committee and achieved significant progress in areas including Center positioning, organizational operations, performance outcomes, financial management, and collaborative projects. In particular, the Center demonstrated strong practical and social impact through interdisciplinary research and teaching cooperation, long-term promotion of rural education, and integration with AI technologies. Through international and inter-university collaboration, the Center has deepened global academic ties, achieving breakthroughs in sustainable education and artistic practice. Looking ahead, the Center will consolidate existing achievements, actively explore emerging fields and technologies, further promote industry-academia cooperation, and cultivate talents with interdisciplinary capabilities and innovative thinking. Staying true to its founding mission, the Center for Creativity and Innovation Studies will remain dedicated to fostering innovation and creativity into the future.
