At different stages of an academic career—from doctoral students to early-career faculty and senior professors—the goals and challenges can vary significantly, often leaving individuals uncertain about how to pursue and define academic value.

On April 24, 2025, the Office of Academic Development at the College of Management, NSYSU, had the honor of hosting Professor Wei-Chi Tsai, Vice President of National Chengchi University (NCCU). In his talk titled “Pursuing Academic Value: From Self-Growth to Collective Impact,” Professor Tsai drew on his extensive academic and administrative experience to explore how scholars can build influence and broaden their horizons at different stages of their academic careers.

Beginning with a background in industrial and organizational psychology, Professor Tsai pursued his Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota, where he transitioned into the field of management. Through rigorous coursework and research, he laid a strong academic foundation and honed his teaching through assistantship experiences. He also candidly reflected on the limitations of relying solely on advisor guidance and how self-learning became a critical part of his academic development.

After returning to Taiwan, Professor Tsai steadily advanced from assistant to associate professor, dedicating himself to high-quality research in the field of work-related emotions. By publishing in top international journals and actively engaging with academic communities, he earned the prestigious MOST Outstanding Research Award. Later, as a full professor, he assumed leadership roles as journal editor-in-chief, helping Taiwan Journal of Human Resource Management enter the TSSCI and introducing reforms at Sun Yat-sen Management Review.

In administrative roles—as Associate Dean, Dean of NCCU’s College of Commerce, and eventually Vice President—Professor Tsai led initiatives such as academic workshops, interdisciplinary research centers, cross-institutional Ph.D. training programs, and efforts to bring the AOM conference to Taiwan. His work continues to deepen the link between academia and industry, both nationally and internationally.

To the attending faculty and Ph.D. students, Professor Tsai offered three key pieces of advice:

1. Build a strong foundation in research.

2. Engage actively with domestic and international academic communities.

3. Embrace administrative opportunities with a service mindset, using them to benefit the broader public.

He concluded by emphasizing that the essence of an academic career lies in finding one’s positioning and fully leveraging each role to create value for oneself, academia, and society. His journey—from self-cultivation to empowering a collective academic community—provided deep inspiration to all in attendance. His open and generous sharing offered clarity and motivation for both aspiring and established scholars.

—Provided by the Office of Academic Development / Edited by the College of Management Media Team