UTSDGs

Ministry of Education USR Project (2025–2027): Integrating University Social Responsibility into Institutional Development Planning — Visit to Tokyo University of the Arts for Social Prescribing and Arts & Cultural Exchange

Following the international symposium on social prescribing at Kyoto University, the team visited Tokyo University of the Arts before returning to Taiwan, engaging in an in-depth dialogue regarding art, culture, history, and health promotion. The delegation included Director Liu Jian-liang of the Taipei City Hospital, faculty members Wang Shi-chih and Weng Shih-heng from the University of Taipei, and CEO Luo Hsin-yi of the PX Mart Foundation. They shared Taiwan’s practical experiences in implementing social prescribing and community-connecting initiatives—such as the "Da-Quan-Lian" project and the National Center for Traditional Arts in Yilan—with their counterparts at Tokyo University of the Arts. Located in the Ueno district—an area rich in national art galleries and museums—Tokyo University of the Arts has recently been actively promoting "art prescribing" and "history and culture prescribing." During the exchange, the two sides discussed how art, museums, local culture, traditional crafts, and urban memory can be integrated into social prescribing models, exploring ways to use cultural resources to rebuild connections between individuals and their communities, the land, and history. This exchange demonstrated to the team that the development of social prescribing extends beyond the realms of healthcare and social welfare; it also offers the potential to advance health promotion through art and cultural resources, providing significant inspiration for the future development of a social prescribing model in Taiwan that integrates arts and culture. This exchange was also of great significance to the University of Taipei. Situated in the capital’s administrative and cultural hub, the university is surrounded by a wealth of urban history, public venues, community resources, and cultural institutions. With its diverse academic disciplines—spanning education, psychology, sports, the arts, the humanities, urban governance, and health promotion—the university possesses a solid foundation for developing a social prescribing model with distinctively Taiwanese characteristics. Through this cross-border and interdisciplinary exchange, the team has become even more convinced that social prescribing is not a task for a single profession alone, but rather a collaborative creation that integrates diverse fields, cities, and cultural backgrounds. Looking ahead, the team aims to further deepen cooperation among partners in Taiwan, Japan, and the international community, exploring new possibilities for innovative practices that bridge art, culture, community, and health promotion.

Implemented by Center for Teaching and Learning Development
Date: 2026/05/29