Professor Ruay-Shiung Chang, Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, also the Vice-President of National Dong Hwa University (NDHU), is to receive Outstanding IT Elite Award of 2009 IT Month. The award presentation ceremony will be held on November 28, 2009.

A prestigious honor in information technology, the Outstanding IT Elite Awards are given to distinguished individuals for their outstanding achievements and contributions to the industry and society. Jointly organized by the computer associations of Taiwan for more than 20 years, IT Month is the most important annual event in the information technology industry. Each year, ten individuals are selected for awards to mark the significant event. Nominees have to go through stringent review and evaluation by a committee comprising of reputable academics, experts, government officials and industrial representatives.

The awards are classified into three categories, product development or design, education or academic research, and management or applications.

Professor Chang is awarded the Outstanding IT Elite Award in education or academic research. With over 70 published papers in international journals, a frequently invited speaker and committee member in international conferences, and editors of international journals, he is recognized for his outstanding research and services. Through Digital Opportunity Center, a program by the Ministry of Education to promote digital learning in rural areas, he minimized digital differences of the rural areas with cities and facilitated the establishment of several digital centers in Eastern Taiwan. As the Director of Eastern Taiwan Teaching Resource Center, a center aiming at resources consolidation and research advancement among colleges, Professor Chang encourages e-learning in 13 universities and colleges on the east coast including NDHU, National Ilan University, National Taitung University and Tzu Chi University. While serving as the Dean of Academic Affairs and Chairpersons of various committees of NDHU, he advocated information technology education, information security and intellectual property. His earnest attempt resulted in International Grid and Pervasive Computing Conference 2010, and E-Learning Asia 2010 to be held in NDHU.