Founding History
The Department of Tourism, Recreation, and Leisure Studies was founded in 2010 to combine the Department of Sports and Leisure and the Graduate Institute of Tourism and Recreation Management. Offering degree programs for Bachelor, Master, and Ph.D., the Department is one of the few equipped with a complete set of programs regarding tourism, leisure, and recreation studies. As far as the professional fields are concerned, the future development of the Department is based on developing tourism with in-depth experience and reflecting healthy leisure and recreational activities. The fundamental idea is to cultivate tourism, leisure, and recreation specialists, who have acquired in-depth recreational experience, are concerned about community health, and emphasize sustainable resources.
Brief Introduction to Department of Sports and Leisure
The Department of Sports and Leisure was founded on 1st August, 1998, the first of its kind as far as national universities in Taiwan are concerned. The first deputy chairperson was Dr. Guang-ren Chen. In the beginning of its establishment, the Department set up not only 3 major developing axles including sport skills and pedagogy, sport science research, and leisure sport management and education, but also sport science laboratories, physical education program, and leisure sport management and education programs. Furthermore, the Department also engaged excellent scholars in related fields as its teachers. Subsequently, Professor Philip C. M. Wang was the next chairperson. During his tenure, based on the consideration of competitiveness and trends, he modified the development direction, cancelled sport technique courses, and adjusted the ratio of sport science courses and leisure courses. Since 2004, Associate Professor Chih-kuei Yeh was the chairperson. During his tenure, he established the ‘Educational Experimental Field of Wilderness Leisure Exploration Experience.’ Its related courses can assist participants in learning the process of basic adventure activities, which can challenge their physical abilities and minds at the same time, and get in touch with the sports and activities, which can challenge their physical limit. It could become a new health & leisure industry. In 2006, Professor Chi-chuan Lue was the chairperson. During his tenure, he purchased outdoor adventure and recreation equipment, established the courses with the Department’s characteristics, and increased the multiplicity of the course design. Since 2007, Professor Yi-chung Hsu was the chairperson. During his tenure, he negotiated with the Graduate Institute of Tourism and Recreation Management for the integration issue. Since 2009, Professor Tsung-chiung Wu was the chairperson. She integrated the Department with the Graduate Institute of Tourism and Recreation Management, renamed the newborn department as the “Department of Tourism, Leisure, and Recreation Studies” since the 99th academic year, and planned the programs and the educational system of the ‘Department of Tourism, Leisure, and Recreation Studies.’ Moreover, she held the activity “Passing on Traditions” and invited the graduate members coming back to promote the interaction among the graduate members, teachers, and students.
Graduate Institute of Tourism and Recreation Management
The Graduate Institute of Tourism and Recreation Management was founded in August, 1999. As far as the system is concerned, the predecessor of this graduate institute was the ‘Tourism and Recreation Management Research Center,’ subordinated to the College of Management. As for the pedagogy and research, it originated from the field of recreation featured in the Graduate Institute of Natural Resource Management. This graduate institute was founded due to the need of tourism development in the eastern area of Taiwan, and the mission to promote citizens’ leisure and recreational living quality. The first chairperson was Dr. Bin-min Sung, and the successors were Dr. Shi-zhang Hsu and Dr. Yi-chung Hsu. Up to now, the fourth chairperson is Dr. Tsung-chiung Wu. In Taiwan, National Dong Hwa University was the first national university with a graduate institute of tourism and recreation management. The establishment is not only closely linked to the overall development of NDHU, but also expected to consolidate related academic fields, to promote research on tourism, leisure, recreation, and related management issues, and to cultivate professionals in tourism and recreation management. Moreover, the eastern area of Taiwan is rich in tourism resources. In expectation of career opportunities and tourism income that economical development brings, one of the urgent tasks is how to decrease tourism impacts on natural and cultural resources. Therefore, two goals have been set up: first, coordinate with the overall development of tourism and recreation in the eastern area, emphasize the importance of recreational resource management, and assist the local government to develop tourism and set up related policies. Second, expect to be the top tier graduate institute of tourism and recreation in Taiwan, and develop outstanding graduate students to serve government agencies and/ or private companies in terms of promoting the quality of manpower in tourism.