台灣的大學眾多，密度高居世界第一，如此多的大學中，台灣還需要怎樣的大學？南華大學在成立之初，便以此問題意識為主，試著在台灣的大學叢林中，創造答案。初始以重視通識教育為立校基礎，帶動全國大學重視通識教育的先聲，已完成其通識教育先導的時代任務。近幾年，除了持續重視通識教育外，也思索在全台的160餘所大學中，還需要如何型態的大學？經過這兩三年的思索與探討，在2011年11月21、22日的教育部校務評鑑中，標舉「公益與公義的大學」為立校宗旨，自我定位為「重視通識與創新的教學型大學」，並以公民素養陶塑計畫為實踐公益大學的步驟，本文主要在說明其歷史背景與實踐的內容，冀望在台灣眾多大學中，形塑自我特色，並帶動其他大學的自我反思。 There are many universities in Taiwan. Does Taiwan also need what kind of university? Nanhua University put great importance to the general education in the beginning. She promoted Taiwan University to attach importance to the harbinger of general education. In recent years, Nanhua University continued focus on general education, she also thought that Taiwan needs what type of university. After two years of thinking about and explore, Nanhua University sets "University of the public good and justice" for the purpose of the school legislation. Self as a "great importance to the Liberal and innovative teaching university. And makes civic literacy pottery plan for the practice of public good university.
