◎About the program

In order to expand students’ worldview and to develop their global change knowledge base, Ministry of Education cooperates with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2018 and 2019 to promote International Student Conservation Leadership program for high school students, empowering them to understand Environmental Substainability, to enhance their language comptence, and to experience diverse cultures and perspectives. National Kaohsiung Normal University and National Wildlife Federation start to plan International Student Conservation Leadership Summit to enhance youths’ responsibility toward the environmental education and to take positive actions to build up a healthier Earth.

◎Our Goals

 Ministry of Education hold International Student Conservation Leadership Summit to provide students the opportunity to comprehend global environmental issues and to cultivate students’ expetise toward Environmental Substainability, to advance their language capability, and to experience diverse cultures. Students will benefit from international educational exchange for strengthening their teamwork ability, problem-solving ability, and leadership skills.

◎Contact us

Welcome countries around the world to hold the International Student Conservation Leadership Summit with us. If you are interested, please email Mr. Huang, Ministry of Education, at shwc@mail.moe.gov.tw or email Professor Huang, National Kaohsiung Normal University, at chinf1027@yahoo.com.tw.

◎How to apply?

Every year at the end of April, the application guide will be posted at green schools web page under Ministry of Education website. https://www.greenschool.moe.edu.tw/gs2/moe/msgtype3.aspx

Note: There will be no International Student Conservation Leadership Summit in 2020 due to the outbreak of coronavirus.

◎Who can apply?

To be participant of International Student Conservation Leadership Summit, high shool students must meet the requirements listed below:

1. Applicants must have ROC nationality, resident certificate and be enrolled in 10th or 11th grade of high school in Taiwan at the time they apply. 
2. Applicatants actively participete in environment-ralted activities such as science fairs/competitions, clubs and international exchanges.
3. English profeciency: Applicants must pass the GEPT intermediate level or higher or other equivalent English profeciency tests. Alternatively, applicants can provide English transcript or English ranking at school.
4. Applicants perform well at school, willing to share concepts of environmental education, and have special talent preferred

 ◎Admission process

1. After sending applications, 40 students(including 6 aborigines) will be admitted to Environmetal Education Young Leader Training Camp and 5 students will be on the waiting list.
2. After individual English presentation at Environmetal Education Young Leader Training Camp, 14 students(including 3 aborigines) will be chosen, 5 students on the waiting list, to represent Taiwan to International Student Conservation Leadership Summit in the USA

 Note: The admission process is subject to change. Please check the application guide for detail.

◎ Schedule of Environmetal Education Young Leader Training Camp(2019)

 Day 1  

The Environmental Education Workshop can reinforce students’ knowledge and awareness toward the Environmental Education, students can scaffold to be independent learners.

 Day 2   

Through outdoor activity, students can be trained to advance their leadership skills, critical thinking and problem solving ability to cooperate with others and to prepare for the international exchange courses.

Day 3

1. Each student will present the discussion on given environmental issue in English.
2. Each student will present individually on the given environmental issue in English and the young leaders will be chosen.

 Note: Courses may vary from year to year. Please check the application guide for detail.

◎Courses and curriculums Schedule for International Student Conservation Leadership Summit in 2019

•    Theme： Watersheds, Oceans, and Wetlands—Water Connects Us All
•     Days： 9 days and 7 nights (Including flight time and time difference）。
•     Location：San Diego State University, California, USA
•     Courses and curriculums:

Day 1  Depart from Taipei

Day 2  

• the first Expert guest speaker: San Diego Coast keeper
• explore ocean plastic trash issue at La Jolla Beaches

Day 3 

• the second Expert guest speaker: Birch Aquarium
• discussion on environmental issues Watersheds, Oceans, and Wetlands–WOW

Day 4  

visit Birch Aquarium on ocean science education and understand the research and education at Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Day 5  

head to Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve to experience cultures on Reserve and estuarine ecosystem resources, including researches, education, and recreation

Day 6 

• field trip to Children’s Pool at La Jolla Beaches
• the third Expert guest speaker: Wild Coast
• develop local Eco-Action Plan

Day 7 

• the fourth Expert guest speaker: Kumeyaay to share aboriginal traditional Tule boat story
• participate Kumeyaay Community College–Tule boat making and Tule boat ocean workshop and present local Eco-Action Plan

Day 8  Depart from San Diego

Day 9  Arrive in Taiwan

Note: Please check the application guide for detailed courses. The courses will focus on Environmental Sustainability, Climate Change, Global warming and Sustainable Development Goals.

◎ Highlights of Environmetal Education Young Leader Training Camp

◎ Pre-departure orientation press conference

The Pre-departure orientation press conference was held in 2018, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Acting Assistant Administrator for International and Tribal Affairs Jane Nishida was invited to address and all the admitted young leaders and parents are invited.

The Pre-departure orientation was held in 2019. The young leaders from the first and second International Student Conservation Leadership Summit are invited to share experiences and parents are welcome to the orientation.

◎ Highlight of International Student Conservation Leadership Summit

◎ Young leaders practical actions after returning

After the high school young leaders came back from the first and second International Student Conservation Leadership Summit, they not only comprehanded the concepts of Sustainable Development, Environmental protection, global environment issues but also passionately took positive environmental actions toward environmental protection and issues. Some students integrated environmental issues into their policy for running the president of student union, others held high school environmental related workshops and actions and still others were selected by Hong Kong UWC to be the host of Sino-Japan Youth Conference (SJYC) in Taiwan.

1. The young leader, Kuo Yuan Tsai, from the first International Student Conservation Leadership Summit was chosen to be the United World Colleges International Youth for his positive actions toward environmental protection.
2. The Young leader Kuo Yuan Tsai from the first International Student Conservation Leadership Summit was selected by Hong Kong UWC to be the host of Sino-Japan Youth Conference (SJYC) in Taiwan.
3. The Young leader Chi Ting Tsai from the first International Student Conservation Leadership Summit actively shared what he learned on environment education from the exploration.and was published on school paper
4. Pei Yi Chen who is the Young leader from the first International Student Conservation Leadership Summit started the schoolwide straws recycle activity to make people believe that everyone can take pratical actions to make our environment better. https://www.chinatimes.com/newspapers/20190109000708-260107?chdtv
5. Pei Yi Chen, the Young leader from the first International Student Conservation Leadership Summit, took the lead in response to the serious environmental problems on climite change.  https://yns.page.link/HMdxi
6. Tien Su and Chun Hao Lai, the young leaders from the first International Student Conservation Leadership Summit, were invited by National Education Radio on May 30, 2019 to share their experiences and perspectives on environmental education learned from the Summit.
7. The first and second young leaders from the first International Student Conservation Leadership Summit were invited to Asia-Pacific Children’s Environmental Health Symposium on October 19, 2019 to share international exchange experiences and perspectives on environmental problems.