To show appreciation and recognize those who have contributed to promoting vocational education, the Ministry of Education presented the 6th Vocational Education Contribution Awards and the 10th Senior Craftsman Awards ceremony on August 5th, with Minister of MOE Ying-Yao Cheng presenting them. Lunghwa University of Science and Technology President Tzu-Hsiang Ko received the individual award for actively promoting industry-academia partnerships and practical education that combines learning and application. His long-standing commitment to building business relationships has significantly increased students’ competitiveness, winning high praise from various sectors.

President Ko has spent over 35 years in vocational education, holding prominent administrative positions such as Director of the Continuing Education Center, Director of the Division of Continuing Education, Dean of Student Affairs, and Dean of Academic Affairs. He has been president since 2009, dedicating all of his efforts into Lunghwa University of Science and Technology, improving the overall image of vocational education, and establishing an exceptional model for talent development.

President Ko has received numerous professional honors, including being named one of Taiwan’s Top 100 Teachers by the Taiwan Project Management Association in 2010, 2011, and 2013; receiving the Ministry of Education’s “Special Contribution Award for Student Counseling Work” in 2008; and receiving the first Top Ten Outstanding Private School Principal Award by the Association of Taiwan Private School and Culture, ROC in 2017. President Ko was elected as the 6th president of the Association of Private Universities and Colleges of Technology in 2012 and re-elected in the following term, owing to his remarkable leadership and ability to bring disparate concerns together. Following his term, he was appointed Honorary Chairman and re-elected as president for the 10th and 11th terms, beginning in 2021. During his tenure, he worked to unite the private school community, promote international and cross-strait vocational education exchanges, strengthen industry-academia cooperation, protect private school development, and advocate for including private school faculty and staff in the public insurance benefits.
 
Magazines Global Views and Cheers have named LHU students the “Most Beloved Graduates” among Taiwan’s private universities. Since 2015, the university has been named seven times to Cheers’ Top 20 Universities based on peer ratings by university presidents. It was rated second in Taiwan in 2023 and 2024, indicating widespread acceptance of President Ko’s exceptional leadership talents among university presidents.

President Ko expressed profound thanks to the board of directors for their complete consent and support, underlining that this honor should be shared by all faculty and staff at Lunghwa University and the association’s partner schools. He pledged to continue diligently carrying out this mission by deepening educational expertise to cultivate high-quality practical talent for industries, providing innovative technical services, improving students’ practical skills and employment competitiveness, and persistently advocating for private school rights while contributing to society.