ESG in Action: IMES Students and Faculty Volunteer at Guandu Nature Park
On December 7, Professor Alicia Say and the International Master’s Program in Applied Economics and Social Development (IMES) led a team of international student volunteers to Guandu Nature Park in the Beitou area. Located in a low-lying area of the Taipei Basin, Guandu Nature Park is a government-designated preservation area created to protect ecologically important wildlife and wetlands. Guandu Nature Park’s ponds, streams, wetlands, and vegetation make the area both a major stopover for migrating birds and an important wintering and breeding ground for many other species. The park is particularly notable for the Black-Winged Stilt, a migratory bird that passes over Taiwan during its annual journey. Due to the park’s favorable environment, many Black-Winged Stilts have made Guandu their year-round home, choosing to nest and raise their young there. Volunteers, including biologists, ornithologists, and students, work in the park year-round to support and study its unique wildlife. Guandu Nature Park is recognized by the BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area (IBA) with 283 species of birds being recorded.
The extended typhoon season Taiwan experienced in 2024 caused fallen trees and scattered debris on park trails. NCCU international student volunteers worked to clear trails and helped dismantle and transport six fallen trees to the park’s composting area to be properly disposed of. Student volunteers also removed invasive arrowhead vines that were choking the growth of native underbrush. Additionally, students observed local birds, wildlife, and wetland ecology in the park and learned about environmental management from conversations with Guandu biologists and ornithologists.
This event was hosted by Professor Alicia Say in coordination with the IMES Program and the IMES Student Council. Students from diverse international programs at NCCU and from many different cultural backgrounds participated in the event. After the volunteer work was completed, participants shared that the experience embodied the holiday spirit of giving, and fostered a sense of community and collaboration. Student volunteers also expressed hope to continue participating in future volunteer efforts.
The International Master’s Program in Applied Economics and Social Development (IMES) at National Chengchi University (NCCU) has, since its inception, remained the only graduate program in the world that integrates both applied economics and social development. This fully English-taught interdisciplinary program offers a broad range of applied economics fields, alongside emerging trends in social development such as digitalization and innovation, AI and semiconductor technologies, sustainability, and the sharing economy.
