The Ministry of Education’s Sports Administration held its “2024 School Sports Beacon of Excellence Award Ceremony” on September 24. Notably, two out of the three recipients of the prestigious “Dedication to School Sports Award” hail from Kaohsiung Medical University (KMU) – namely Professor Mei-Chih Hsu and Professor Yin-Chu Tseng. This award not only recognizes their outstanding contributions to promoting sports education in their respective areas of interest, but also highlights KMU’s remarkable capabilities in the field of sports education.

Professor Mei-Chih Hsu, a faculty member of KMU’s Department of Sports Medicine and an honorary professor at National Taiwan Sport University, is renowned for her expertise in Drug Analysis, Sports Nutrition and Exercise Physiology. Professor Hsu has published 309 academic papers in both Chinese and English journals, as well as authoring 18 books. Throughout her career, Professor Hsu has led 134 commissioned projects and academia-industry collaborations, funded by various organizations across both government and private sectors, including the National Science and Technology Council, the Ministry of Education’s Sports Administration, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Kaohsiung City Government, and the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee. Her research has also resulted in four successful technology transfers. Dedicated to advancing sports education, Professor Hsu has been a strong advocate for doping control and has conducted extensive academic research in this area, as well as providing consulting services aimed at improving sports injury prevention on campuses. In recent years, Professor Hsu has dedicated her efforts on the complexities surrounding transgender athletes, contributing valuable insights from a sports medicine perspective to both academia and education.

Professor Yin-Chu Tseng has been a cornerstone of KMU’s Physical Education Center for the past 45 years. A highly respected figure in Taiwan’s basketball community, Professor Tseng’s career as an international basketball referee saw him officiating at numerous major international competitions. Beyond his role on the court, Professor Tseng has also held prominent positions in key sports organizations, including the Chinese Taipei University Sports Federation, the Chinese Taipei Basketball Association, and the Kaohsiung City Basketball Committee. With experience spanning the roles of player, coach, teacher, and referee, Professor Tseng has made significant contributions to the sport both on and off the court. His lifelong dedication to promoting basketball has brought a wealth of experience and passion to Taiwan’s basketball scene. 

Upon receiving the award, Professor Hsu and Professor Tseng expressed deep gratitude, viewing the award as a meaningful recognition of their decades-long efforts in promoting sports education. Both professors pledged to continue driving innovation and creating new opportunities for the development of sports programs, with the goal of further ingraining the spirit of sportsmanship into campus life. 

KMU President Ming-Lung Yu commended the outstanding contributions of Professor Hsu and Professor Tseng, highlighting the critical role of exercise in promoting both physical and mental well-being. He regularly encourages students, faculty, and staff to incorporate physical activity into their daily routines, noting that exercise not only strengthens the body but also builds resilience, fosters teamwork, relieves stress, and enhances focus and emotional regulation – factors that ultimately improve overall performance. 

In a humorous remark, President Yu pointed out that KMU's robust sports culture has earned it the nickname "Medical University by day, Sports University by night." The recognition of Professor Hsu and Professor Tseng with the "Dedication to School Sports Award" further underscores KMU's exceptional strengths in the field of sports.