The Graduate Institute of Sustainable Tourism and Recreation Management (GISTRM) at National Taichung University of Education (NTCU) was established in 2008. It is the first of its kind available in the public national university system in central Taiwan . While this program was initiated to meet the long term development of the NTCU, it is also anticipated to integrate relevant disciplinary fields that will contribute to the advancement of tourism, recreation and leisure studies. At the same time, the graduate program aims to cultivate professionals at managerial level which cater to the industrial requirements. The GISTRM places main focuses on a wide range of study domains, involving recreational planning, tourism management, strategic marketing, natural conservation, cultural preservation, environmental education, resource interpretation, sustainable management, visitor behavior, etc. The curriculums are divided into two dimensions: practical industrial track and social resource track. The central part of Taiwan is endowed with rich tourism resources. This region requires a sustainable approach for tourism development – a practice that helps the region to capitalize on tourism with manageable impacts exerted on the natural and cultural resources. Thus, the initial mission of GISTRM is set forth to (1) invite the high-caliber faculty members from both academic and industrial fields to create a critical mass for tourism and recreation education; (2) to cater to an comprehensive approach for tourism development in central Taiwan and provide local government with useful guidelines that emphasize the importance of integrating sustainability concept into the planning for tourism and recreation; (3) to gain a prominent leadership in tourism, recreation and leisure studies domestically and internationally, and to contribute to the cultivation of a sound base of graduates who are capable of pursuing doctoral studies or are of competitive to venture into private or public sectors.