2024 NTU Azalea Festival

“Fragrant azaleas blossom true, inspiring youth to dream anew.” In the warm March weather, azalea flowers bloom freely on the campus of National Taiwan University (NTU). President Wen-Chang Chen presided over the opening ceremony on March 9th, marking the beginning of the annual NTU Azalea Festival. In addition to the splendid performances by the NTU Juggling Club, the campus was bustling with activities as students and alumni undertook Department Expo and Club Expo. The atmosphere was vibrant and lively, drawing in crowds of students, alumni, and the public alike.

The Department Expo taking place at NTU Sports Center was the first time ever to invite NTU System partners National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) and National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST) to set up booths. This allowed visiting students and parents to learn about the combined educational resources of a comprehensive university (NTU), an education-focused institution (NTNU), and a leading vocational university (NTUST), as students admitted to either of the universities can enroll and receive credits for courses offered in all three of them, enhancing their learning outcomes. Each department also took this opportunity to introduce their respective programs. The Club Expo on Banyan Avenue and Royal Palm Boulevard, on the other hand, allowed NTU students to showcase their cultural proficiencies, diverse talents, and wide-ranging interests.

President Chen stated that NTU is implementing "Future University 2.0". When students enter NTU, they have greater flexibility to explore areas of interest. Not only are there 251 Specialization Modules to choose from, but students also have the flexibility to enroll in college and university interdisciplinary bachelor's programs. Therefore, he suggested that students should not just focus on a specific department but explore a full scope of disciplines. Since the three universities within the NTU System each have their own strengths, students can take courses from each other, pursue double majors, and so on, to take advantage of the diverse choices and fully tap their potential.

In celebration of 2024 Azalea Festival, NTU units were invited to hold a series of events featuring the university’s scientific and humanity spirits to complement the azaleas’ beauty. Such events included campus tours, museum tours, scavenger hunts, farming experiences, and exhibitions. NTU also carried on its collaboration with the Taipei City Parks Office initiated last year by hosting guided tours of the region. Stores and shops in the campus’s proximity also joined in to offer special discounts on food and souvenirs

This year, NTU Office of General Affairs has conceptualized the theme “Blossoming of Flowers and Food” to allow food trucks to temporarily station on the NTU main campus. From the opening day of the Azalea Festival until the end of March. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 7:00 to 17:30; these food trucks offered a variety of meals (breakfast, lunch), snacks and beverages. They are located at three spots: on Zhoushan Road near the Luming Hall, on Sweetgum Avenue near the College of Social Sciences Building, and near Black Forest at Xinhai Gate, catering to the diverse dining needs of NTU faculty and students.

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, NTU has been conducting Department Expo online and has become proficient at it. Live streaming and virtual reality technologies are utilized to provide visitors with rich information and diverse experiences, despite they are not physically present at the venue. This webpage will continue to be updated after the Azalea Festival period to provide the most comprehensive information about each department. People who love NTU's campus and alumni can also enjoy the beauty of the blooming azaleas while learning about the unique strengths, teaching outcomes, and research achievements of NTU departments. For more information, please visit the NTU Azalea Festival website: https://event.ntu.edu.tw/azalea/2024/index.html.