UTSDGs

Ministry of Education USR Plan (2025–2027): Integrating University Social Responsibility into Institutional Development Planning — Recording of the "Hospice Heart-to-Heart Chat Room" Social Prescribing Promotion Program

Professor Wang Shi-chih, Principal Investigator of this project and Dean of the College of Municipal Management at the University of Taipei, was invited to appear on the program *Palliative Care: An Online Heart-to-Heart* (安宁线上聊心室). Alongside host Ms. Xia Jia-lu and horticultural therapist Ms. Huang Sheng-ying, she discussed the concept and practical development of "Social Prescribing"—an approach that has garnered significant international attention in recent years. During the program, Dean Wang introduced the core concepts of social prescribing from the perspectives of social health and community care. She explored how diverse, non-pharmacological interventions—such as companionship, community engagement, arts and culture, nature, physical activity, and volunteerism—can help individuals re-establish connections with their lives, others, and society, thereby fostering physical and mental health as well as overall well-being. During the program, Director Wang explained that social prescribing is not merely about scheduling activities; rather, it involves a needs assessment where "link workers" help connect individuals with appropriate community resources and support services tailored to their specific needs. Through ongoing monitoring and evaluation, participants are supported as they gradually regain their motivation for life and rebuild social connections. This program recording fostered interdisciplinary dialogue, raising public awareness of the value of social prescribing in health promotion and community care. Through collaboration across diverse professional fields, the initiative aims to advance the practice of social prescribing, promoting a definition of health that goes beyond the mere absence of disease to encompass a sense of being understood and accompanied, as well as the experience of meaningful social connections throughout the various stages of life.

Implemented by Center for Teaching and Learning Development
Date: 2026/06/24