XueDAO: A Student-Centric Developer Community in Web3
In the world of Web3, developers play a crucial role as they are the driving force behind expanding the blockchain ecosystem and enriching the overall digital landscape. This year, Taiwan witnessed the birth of a student developer community called “XueDAO,” which aims to bridge the gap between student developers and the Web3 industry, while showcasing the development potential of Taiwan’s students to the world.
XueDAO was co-founded by Xu Ruizhen, a recent graduate from the National Chengchi University’s Department of International Business, and Lin Bocheng, a student at National Taiwan University’s Department of Economics. Both Xu and Lin are also core contributors to the community.
Xu has previously interned at traditional financial companies such as DBS, E.Sun Bank, and BlackRock. However, compared to the conservative nature of traditional finance, Xu is more interested in the open, decentralized world of Web3. In 2021, she co-organized the first-ever Blockchain Youth Forum in Taiwan and later joined the NTU FinTech Research Society as a core member.
Lin, who was also a core member of the NTU FinTech Research Society, has a deep interest in economics, finance, and development. Among the various Web3 tracks, he is particularly passionate about DeFi (Decentralized Finance). As a developer, Lin has participated in hackathons such as ETH Taipei and Gen3 Solana Taiwan Hacker Campus. Both Xu and Lin, as blockchain enthusiasts, hope to promote blockchain awareness among students and explore related career opportunities.
Xu Ruizhen (right), a recent graduate from the National Chengchi University’s Department of International Business, and Lin Bocheng (left), a student at National Taiwan University’s Department of Economics, are co-founders of XueDAO and core contributors to the community.
Expanding Horizons: Showcasing Taiwan’s Student Development Potential
Despite their young age, Xu and Lin have already participated in numerous international Web3 exhibitions and events, including IVS Kyoto, Token 2049, and the “Plan B summer school” education program jointly founded by stablecoin issuer Tether and the Swiss town of Lugano.
These eye-opening experiences at exhibitions and events were instrumental in the birth of XueDAO. Lin noted that during these events, he noticed the high level of professionalism and activity among international student communities, while Taiwanese student communities were more focused on popular science education. “While popular science is important, student clubs in Taiwan are already saturated with it. We need to break out of this cycle. Taiwan lacks student-led organizations that promote developer culture,” said Lin.
Recalling a conversation with a Web3 industry veteran, Xu remembered discussing how Taiwan has yet to become a hub for international Web3 resources, and the lack of “development power” being one of the reasons. This realization made Xu recognize the importance of establishing a developer community and believe that by organizing hackathons and other events, Taiwan’s development talent can be showcased.
She especially wants the world to see that Taiwanese students already possess excellent development skills. With the slogan “Show the world that Taiwanese Students can BUIDL,” XueDAO was founded this year, with the ambitious goal of bringing more resources to Taiwan.
The Three Pillars of XueDAO’s Activities
XueDAO’s activities revolve around three main aspects: Learning, Building, and Connecting.
For learning, XueDAO organizes co-learning days every two to three weeks, where members share the latest technology and research findings and engage in discussions. Additionally, XueDAO has research groups that focus on in-depth learning and discussions in specific areas. According to Xu, these types of activities have seen an increasing trend in participation. Since its launch in March this year, the number of participants has grown from under 10 to around 20 per session.
In terms of building, XueDAO members actively participate in various hackathon events and plan to host their own student-exclusive hackathon, “CONNECT,” at the end of June. Lin shared that students have achieved remarkable results in hackathon events, and such platforms are perfect for showcasing the stories of Taiwanese student developers.
Lastly, XueDAO is committed to fostering connections between students and the industry. The community has organized workshops, lectures, and offline gatherings, inviting industry experts to share their insights and career experiences, creating opportunities for interaction between both sides. “Through observation, we found that university students find it difficult to imagine what it’s like to work in the Web3 industry. We hope XueDAO can bridge the gap between students and the industry,” said Xu.
In the final remarks of the interview, Lin and Xu emphasized that joining the developer community is not limited to engineers proficient in programming. Product managers who focus on strategy and planning, as well as individuals who excel in presenting projects, are also crucial members of development teams.
They emphasized that “XueDAO is an organization without boundaries or school restrictions, and it requires a diverse range of talents.”