▎Teaching & Learning

D-School’s Exploratory Learning Program is one of several Future NTU action plans. NTU is the first university in Taiwan to give academic credits for exploratory learning, creating space and flexibility for students to find their interests. Students who enter the Exploratory Learning Program retain their student status while making the most of NTU’s resources to discover infinite possibilities on and off campus. Since its launch in 2021, the program accepted 36 students from nine colleges as of 2022, with 17 faculty members offering support and guidance along the way.

In 2022, 13 students who participated in the program shared their stories with themes including entrepreneurship, music creation, internship, and returning to campus after some much-needed rest. Through exploratory learning, they regained a sense of control in their studies. They stressed that exploratory learning is different than temporarily dropping out of university. Indeed, with the support offered by faculty members and D-School, they never felt they were alone. At the end-of-term sharing session, then President Dr. Chung-Ming Kuan said that approximately 20% of NTU students choose to delay graduation each year, citing the lack of self-exploration as one of the reasons. If students could find out what they really want or can do during an exploratory period, they would have the opportunity to try something different and quite possibly embark on a different life journey.

Dean of D-School Robin Bing-Yu Chen congratulated the students on making their respective explorations for several months. He believed that they would return to campus with more determination and a sense of purpose so that their university years would be more meaningful. NTU will continue to promote the Exploratory Learning Program so that more students can explore what they really want to do and live for, opening more space for their imagination by breaking the boundary between learning fields and university courses.