Introduction to Professor Chiu Shang-Chia, Recipient of the 5th Ministry of Education "National Indu
Title: Professor Shang-Chia Chiu of the National Yunlin University of Science and Technology Receives National Industry-Academia Master Award for Contributions to Cultural Heritage Restoration and Ecosystem Revitalization
The Ministry of Education has announced the recipients of the fifth edition (Academic Year 111) of the "National Industry-Academia Master Award." Among them is Professor Shang-Chia Chiu, a specially appointed professor in the Department of Design and Architecture at the National Yunlin University of Science and Technology. He has been recognized for his outstanding achievements in cultivating talents for cultural heritage restoration and fostering industry-academia collaboration.
The award aims to acknowledge and encourage educators who contribute significantly to the industry, especially in areas with a profound impact on national technical and professional talent development. The "National Industry-Academia Master Award" is a prestigious, lifelong honor, divided into five categories: Engineering, Electronics and Information, Humanities, Design, and Arts, Business Management and Livelihood, and Agriculture Science, Biotechnology, and Nursing.
Challenges in Cultural Heritage Restoration: Taiwan's Cultural Heritage Preservation Act has been in effect for 40 years, with over 2,700 historical sites, monuments, and architectural complexes. The government's annual investment in restoration projects has grown significantly, reaching over NT$50 billion in 2019 and likely exceeding NT$60 billion this year. Despite this growth, the restoration industry faces challenges, particularly in the shortage of skilled traditional craftsmen. The decline of traditional apprenticeship models, lengthy training periods, job insecurity, and inadequate salaries have led to a loss of talent, making it difficult to attract new entrants to the field.
Industry-Academia Collaboration Initiatives: Acknowledging the long-standing issues in the cultural heritage restoration industry, the Ministry of Education's Cultural Heritage Bureau initiated collaborative projects to address the shortage of skilled craftsmen. Professor Chiu proposed a holistic approach to construct an "industrial ecosystem" that enhances the vitality of its members through mutual support and symbiosis, contributing to the industry's long-term development.
Under the strong support of the Cultural Heritage Bureau and Professor Chiu's guidance, the initiative began by exploring the core competencies of craftsmen as a reference for setting standards. Subsequently, it proposed functional criteria and a grading system for various trades, providing a basis for nurturing, selecting, employing, and promoting traditional craftsmen and facilitating the establishment of a rigorous national examination system for the "Traditional Artisan" professional competency test and review.
In 2018, following Professor Chiu's recommendation, the Cultural Heritage Bureau established the "Cultural Heritage Artisan Workshop" in the Cultural Heritage Park. The workshop conducted 19 skills-oriented training courses, fostering traditional professional skills such as carpentry, masonry, pottery, tile-making, carving, clay sculpture, paper cutting, and painting. The initiative has continuously improved the "Traditional Artisan" qualification review system, with 729 participants undergoing examinations since 2018, leading to the addition of 173 new "Traditional Artisans." The growing number of young artisans has injected new vitality into the cultural heritage restoration industry.
To bridge traditional technical education with vocational education, the "Cultural Heritage Artisan Workshop" has organized summer courses, offering traditional skills workshops and developing 80 sets of teaching materials based on the "2019 Senior High School Curriculum Guidelines." Furthermore, career exploration courses have been conducted for vocational students, introducing them to the traditional skills of cultural heritage restoration.
Contributions and Recognition: Professor Chiu, with a background as Vice President of the university and previous roles as Deputy Mayor of Chiayi City and Deputy County Magistrate of Yunlin County, has extensive experience in cultural heritage conservation. His involvement in various capacities, such as serving as a member of the central and local cultural heritage review committees and as an advisor to the Ministry of Culture's "Reconstructing Historical Sites Project," has equipped him to drive a series of industry-academia collaboration projects.
Professor Chiu's efforts in constructing the ecosystem of the cultural heritage restoration industry demonstrate not only his role as a pioneer but also as a practitioner, embodying the essence of "taking action rather than just talking." Through the achievements of the "Cultural Heritage Artisan Workshop" under the Cultural Heritage Bureau, he has not only made concrete contributions to the cultural heritage restoration industry but has also enhanced the nation's cultural soft power. This innovative approach to cultural-rooted education opens new possibilities and visions for the cultivation of technical and professional talents in the country.
Affiliation: Professor Shang-Chia Chiu is affiliated with the National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Department of Design and Architecture.
