2026.05.30
National Tsing Hua University held its 2026 Commencement Ceremony on May 30, celebrating 6,670 graduates as they embark on the next stage of their lives.
National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) in Taiwan held its graduation ceremony on May 30th, sending 6,670 graduates into a new chapter of their lives. Guest speaker Hao-Chu Tseng, head coach of the Rakuten Monkeys baseball team, shared his experience leading Taiwan's national team to victory in an international championship. He encouraged graduates to remember that the bigger the goal, the greater the challenges. Reaching the top is not the end; only by staying true to one's original intention can one go further on one's path of dreams.
This year's graduates include 2,663 undergraduate students, 3,614 master's students, and 393 doctoral students. Among them are NTHU's first cohort of 20 medical students, who will now enter hospitals to begin their post-graduate clinical training.
President W. John Kao: “Create the Future and Maintain Balance”
NTHU President W. John Kao encouraged graduates by stating that “the best way to predict the future is to create it.” He reflected on how, four years ago, the current graduates entered the university campus during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, wearing masks and facing an uncertain world. At that time, few could imagine what they and the world would become four years later. Through years of exploration and growth, students have navigated challenges, uncertainties, and personal transformations, gradually discovering their own paths.
He also reminded graduates to maintain “balance” in life—while striving for success, they should also make time for personal interests, daily life, and caring for family and friends. He wished the Class of 2026 curiosity and courage as they move toward a broader future.
Coach Hao-Chu Tseng: “A Championship Is Not the Finish Line”
Known by his nickname “Dragon Cat,” Hao-Chu Tseng led Taiwan's national baseball team to a historic victory at the 2024 World Baseball Premier 12 tournament after taking over as head coach. Since then, he has led the team through multiple high-pressure international competitions over three consecutive years.
Earlier this year, Tseng stepped down from his national coaching position and emotionally wrote, “Let's graduate together.” Appearing at the commencement ceremony, he shared reflections on career transition and offered heartfelt encouragement to students about to embark on their own journeys.
Tseng urged graduates to pursue their dreams with courage and perseverance. He emphasized that the greater the dream, the greater the trials. Only by learning from failure can one build the strength needed for success.
He cited Taiwan's 2024 Premier 12 championship run, during which the team was initially labeled “the weakest in history;” yet they chose not to be discouraged. Instead, they focused on each challenge step by step, ultimately defeating strong opponents such as Japan to achieve a historic victory.
“Winning the championship only brings us closer to the world's top level,” Tseng said. He reminded graduates that reaching the peak is not the end, but the beginning of greater scrutiny and new challenges. The key is to keep moving forward without stopping, and to remain true to one's original purpose.
Interdisciplinary Growth and Diverse Paths
This year's graduates came from diverse backgrounds and life experiences, but they all made use of NTHU's interdisciplinary resources to explore different fields and develop problem-solving abilities.
The university's first cohort of 20 medical students is a notable example. With backgrounds in chemistry, pharmacy, physical therapy, and life sciences, they received medical education that integrated artificial intelligence, big data, computer science, and biomedical technology. They also completed training in clinical skills, doctor–patient communication, and community healthcare services.
After graduation, 16 students will be assigned to hospitals under Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare system, while 4 will join hospitals under the Veterans Affairs Council system.
Vice President Ping-Chiang Lyu encouraged them to embody the spirit of “benevolence and service,” transforming their interdisciplinary training into professional strengths. He urged them not only to see diseases, but also to understand patients' circumstances and build trust in doctor–patient relationships.
One graduate, Jiaxuan Shen, who will join Taipei Veterans General Hospital, previously majored in chemistry at the University of Kentucky in the United States and worked as a research assistant at Academia Sinica. She described how, as part of the first cohort, students had to navigate and refine the new systems together with the department, which strengthened their adaptability. In her clinical rotations, she accompanied patients through difficult treatment decisions and life challenges, gradually feeling herself transition “from a medical student to a physician.”
Finding Strength Through Failure and Uncertainty
Undergraduate commencement speaker Cynthia Chien from the College of Technology Management entered NTHU through a special admission pathway based on her figure skating expertise. She openly shared her academic struggles, including being placed on academic probation, taking leave, extending her studies, and retaking calculus six times.
Despite these challenges, she rebuilt her academic foundation with support from teachers and friends. Gradually overcoming her fear of failure, she said she could now proudly declare: “Yes, I am a graduate of National Tsing Hua University.”
Graduate speaker Tsung-Han Hsieh from the Semiconductor Research College entered through the “Rising Sun Program” and once struggled with financial pressure. A mentor's encouragement—that he should not be deprived of learning resources despite financial constraints—helped him feel supported by NTHU's inclusive environment.
He later participated in an overseas exchange program, obtained a U.S. patent during an internship, and attended the ISSCC international conference, often referred to as the “Olympics of integrated circuits.” Beyond academics, he also engaged in student organizations and learned that success means “surpassing oneself and empowering others.”
Eight Graduates Receive NTHU's Highest Honor
A total of eight graduates were awarded the Dr. Mei Yi-Chi Memorial Prize, the highest honor for NTHU graduates. Recipients included students from fields spanning nuclear engineering, physics, engineering, medicine, electrical engineering, special education, and education.
One recipient, Yi-Hsueh Lin from the College of Engineering, is a national artistic roller skating athlete who won gold at the Asian Championships and National Games, and currently ranks 11th globally. Balancing athletic training and academic research, he once revised his thesis rink side just days before winning the Asian Cup.
Rather than treating sports and academics as competing priorities, he leveraged flexible coursework and cross-college resources to clarify his direction. He will pursue graduate studies in artificial intelligence, aiming to explore the intersection of AI and sports science.
Lin said his greatest takeaway from NTHU is psychological resilience: from believing “I can't do it if I haven't learned it before” to realizing “I can identify what I don't know and proactively take the initiative to learn.”
NTHU President W. John Kao addresses the Class of 2026 at the commencement ceremony, encouraging graduates to maintain balance and create their own future.
Guest speaker Hao-Chu Tseng, head coach of the Rakuten Monkeys, shares the story behind Team Taiwan's Premier12 championship victory and encourages graduates to pursue their dreams with courage while staying true to their original purpose.
Eight graduates received the Dr. Mei Yi-Chi Memorial Prize, NTHU's highest student honor. From left to right: Guan-You Lin (College of Nuclear Science), Chi-Wei Li (Department of Physics), Yi-Hsueh Lin (College of Engineering), Hung-Yu Chen (School of Medicine), Yu-Shuo Chang (Department of Electrical Engineering), Shan-Yuan Chang (Department of Special Education), Wan-Zhen Yang (Department of Special Education), and Shu-Ching Liu (Department of Education and Learning Technology).
Tsung-Han Hsieh of the College of Semiconductor Research delivers the graduate student commencement address, encouraging fellow graduates with the theme, “Carry Virtue Forward, Become the Rising Sun of the World.”
Cynthia Chien from the College of Technology Management delivers the undergraduate commencement address, sharing her journey of overcoming challenges and exploring diverse fields after entering NTHU through a special talent admission program in inline skating.
NTHU's first cohort of 20 medical students graduated this year and will begin postgraduate clinical training at hospitals across Taiwan.
Faculty, students, family members, and friends gather to celebrate NTHU's 2026 Commencement Ceremony on May 30.
Members of the Class of 2026 pose for a group photo during the commencement ceremony, commemorating a major milestone in their academic journey.
Graduates pose for photos in front of the commencement backdrop, creating lasting memories of their time at NTHU.
NTHU graduates celebrate with bubbles, marking the completion of their studies and the beginning of a new chapter in life.
Graduates take photos at the university's commencement-themed installation, capturing memories of their graduation day.
NTHU graduates pose for photos in their academic regalia ahead of the university's 2026 Commencement Ceremony.
NTHU graduates gather by the Chengkung Lake commencement installation, preserving cherished memories of campus life.
