Guided by the Council of Indigenous Peoples, the Taiwan Indigenous Development Association held
the commendation conference of "The 4th National Ten Outstanding Indigenous Youths Selection"
on December 10. Xin-Zhi Tong, Jointly Appointed Associate Professor of the National Chung Cheng
University (CCU) Graduate Institute of Taiwan Literature and Innovation and the Center for General
Education was selected as one of the outstanding youth. His efforts in indigenous education was
recognized and served as a model for young people to learn.
The purpose of "The National Ten Outstanding Indigenous Youths Selection" is to discover excellent
youths from all sectors and fields of indigenous people who works hard, contributes to indigenous
society, and enhances the confidence and trust of indigenous society in young people. CCU Graduate
Institute of Taiwan Literature and Innovation mentioned that, the Association encourages indigenous
youths to achieve remarkable progress in their personal careers and public services, and actively
participate in social services. Ten youth role models in this year came from the fields including
education, politics, industry, culture and art, medical care, social services. They have demonstrated
excellent performance, bringing positive value and making significant contribution to indigenous
society and the country.
The Graduate Institute stated that, Associate Professor Xin-Zhi Tong comes from the Paiwan tribe in
Pingtung County. He took up a post of the CCU Graduate Institute of Taiwan Literature and
Innovation and the Center for General Education on February 1, 2020. Also, he serves as the advisor
of Bachelor Program in Interdisciplinary Studies and CCU Elite, as well as the executive secretary of
Indigenous Student Resource Center, the director of Indigenous Education and Research Center, and
the Co-PI of the Tsou Tribe Knowledge Research Center. His main research areas cover
contemporary social issues such as literature, language, culture, and education of indigenous peoples.
Additionally, the National Science and Technology Council, the National Academy for Educational
Research, and the Council of Indigenous Peoples have awarded him long-term research projects in
recent years. He has made important and outstanding achievements in research and publication,
education promotion, talent cultivation and other aspects of urban indigenous cultural space
investigation, ethnic education curriculum development, and indigenous knowledge system
construction. Besides, he also participated in the promotion of the "Indigenous Language, Cultural
Creativity and Application Program", which is consecutively selected as the excellent course in the
"Opinion survey on teaching" for four semesters at CCU, earning recognition and appreciation from
both students and faculty.
Xin-Zhi Tong said, "I have experienced many difficulties in my studies. I am grateful to the teachers
who have supported, encouraged and assisted me along the way. Receiving the award of "The
National Ten Outstanding Indigenous Youths" is the starting point instead of the end. I hope that I
will be like the spirit of a millet seed, bursting with vitality in various environments. Also, cultivate
more outstanding talents in CCU and indigenous society."
CCU Graduate Institute of Taiwan Literature and Innovation presented that in recent years, CCU has
demonstrated concrete results in promoting indigenous education and cultivating young teaching
elites. In the future, it will be more actively engaged in promoting the coexistence of diverse cultures,
fostering campus-friendly environment of indigenous culture, and enhancing the future professional
and competitiveness of indigenous students.