Taiwan YSBC Joint Conference Debuts, Connecting Campus Social Innovation Actions

(中央社訊息服務20260402 14:22:27)The Foundation for Yunus Social Business Taiwan held the “2026 YSBC Joint Conference” on March 13 at the Illume Taipei Hotel, bringing together representatives from government agencies, corporate partners, and Yunus Social Business Centres (YSBC) from universities across Taiwan. The event served as a platform to share achievements in social innovation and sustainability initiatives across campuses, while also outlining future collaboration directions to further strengthen social enterprise education in Taiwan.

Authorized by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus in 2006, the Foundation for Yunus Social Business Taiwan has long promoted the concept of “Social Business,” guided by the vision of the Three Zeros: zero net carbon emissions, zero poverty, and zero unemployment. Through campus courses, competitions, and youth action programs, the foundation cultivates social innovation talent. Currently, there are 114 YSBCs worldwide, with 14 established in Taiwan—making it one of the regions with the highest density globally.

In her opening remarks, Ms. President Philippa Tsai noted that the foundation co-organized 181 events last year, reaching over 180,000 participants. She emphasized the crucial role of YSBCs in enabling young people to understand social enterprise concepts through both education and action, integrating the Three Zeros vision into their future careers and entrepreneurial pursuits. She also expressed hope to see more universities join the movement and for stronger collaboration with enterprises to bring ESG practices into campus education.

Deputy Director-General Ms. Yi-Tsung Chen of the Youth Development Administration, Ministry of Education, remarked that the foundation has long played a role similar to a “civil version” of the administration by promoting youth empowerment and social innovation education. She highlighted that such efforts allow students to engage with social issues through real-world actions and develop problem-solving capabilities, which are essential for nurturing sustainable talent. The event also featured remarks by Ms. May Lee, Chairperson of the Taiwan Cultural & Creativity Development Foundation, who is also a “Sustainability Angel” supporter of the foundation. She has long supported youth development and social innovation, and this year is sponsoring the 6th Taiwan Yunus Social Business Innovation Award to encourage young people to address social issues through creativity and action.

The conference also included keynote sessions. Mr. Ben Sun, Vice President of Dale Carnegie Training Taiwan, introduced the “玉山計畫,” a collaboration with the foundation that integrates corporate and social resources to support disadvantaged and rural youth through education and practical training, fostering leadership development. In addition, Professor Faiz Shah, Executive Director of the Yunus Centre at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), shared insights via video, highlighting how AIT’s Yunus Centre adopts a social business model to sustain YSBC operations and achieve financial self-sufficiency—offering a valuable reference for global YSBC development.

Representatives from numerous universities participated in the exchange, including National Taipei University of Business, National Taichung University of Science and Technology, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, National Dong Hwa University, National Quemoy University, Chihlee University of Technology, Soochow University, Chang Jung Christian University, and Nanhua University. Additional participants included Tamkang University and Fo Guang University, while Vice President Lee Li-Chung represented China University of Science and Technology. Together, they shared experiences in advancing social innovation and sustainability initiatives on campus.

The conference concluded with closing remarks by Vice President, Ms. Lin Han-Jung, who expressed gratitude for the long-term commitment of participating universities and emphasized the importance of future international exchanges and youth action. CEO Ms. Juno Wang also announced the “Youth Global Dream Project” initiated by the Youth Development Administration, in collaboration with the foundation. The program includes the overseas internship, where selected participants will travel to the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand this August for a two-week immersive experience in social enterprise and international collaboration.

Wang noted that the program provides full funding, including an NTD 80,000 stipend per participant covering airfare and accommodation. YSBC students will receive priority consideration. The program is open to youth aged 18 to 30, with applications closing on April 1. The foundation hopes that through international exchange and hands-on learning, more young people will develop global perspectives and a strong sense of social responsibility.