Challenges and Perspectives for the Future of Higher Education in Taiwan

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Challenges and Perspectives for the

Future of Higher Education in Taiwan

Michael M.C. Lai President

National Cheng Kung University November 3, 2009

The Missions of a University



_{To educate and nurture future leaders and}

innovators of the society



_{To do research to generate and promulgate}

new knowledge and technology



_{To serve the society and mankind to meet}

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The challenges facing Taiwan

higher education

 _{The declining birth rate (too many universities)}

 _{The nature and quality of higher education: elitist}

or populist education?

 _{The fallen international competitiveness, including}

physical infrastructure and quality of education

 _{The declining government support}  _{Students from mainland China}

Attempted classification of Higher Education

institutions: University of California as an example

 _{University of California (10 campuses) (12.5% of high}

school graduates) (doctors degree)

 _{California State University (masters)}

 _{City and Community Colleges (bachelors)}  _{Junior Colleges (two-year colleges)}

 _{Easy transfers between the school systems}  _{Each system has its own educational goals}

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Views from the top universities:

Strengths of general education in Taiwan

background (unified college entrance exam)

 _{Well prepared in basic language and math skills}  _{Strong in analytical skills}

Views from the top universities:

Weaknesses of general education in Taiwan

 _{Practice and drills of reflexive learning (or test) skills}  _{Information acquisition and repetitive regurgitation}  _{Inability to express verbally and in writing}

 _{Lack of creativity training}  _{Lack of aggressiveness}

 _{Less emphasis on the synthesizing ability}

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The weaknesses of university

education in Taiwan

 _{The course requirements are too easy}

 _{Does not emphasize interdisciplinary learning}

 _{Too much emphasis on professional training, not}

enough on humanistic education

 _{Not enough internationalization (global language}

skills, intercultural awareness and international competitiveness)

Trends toward the mixing of professional and

humanistic education (I)

 _{C. P. Snow: “Science and technology” and}

“humanities” are two different cultures

 _{But, today’s societal problems, e.g. gentrification of}

societies, global warming, energy issues, etc. are too complex to be solved by science and

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Trends toward the mixing of professional

and humanistic education (II)

 _{Neal Lane: “We abdicate our responsibilities as}

citizens if we, as scientists and engineers, do not understand our science and technology in the larger context of humanity and its great unsolved problems”

 _{Future trends: Engineering, like medical and law}

Our efforts and unfinished businesses

in education reforms

 _{Established Academy of Educators}

 _{Curriculum reform: joint teaching from different}

departments

 _{Reduced the number of courses offered}

 _{Encourage students to take cross-departmental}

courses

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How to attract diversified high school

students?

 _Problems:

 Regionalization of universities (NTU vs. the rest)  Disparity in the distribution of political and financial

resources (north vs. south)

 Laissez-faire attitude of the southern Taiwanese

 _Solutions:

 More active recruitment

Keys to successful build-up of

research capability in the university



_{Attract leaders (“stars”) in a given discipline}

_{Cluster hiring}



_{Mentor young talents and give them time and space}

_{Build research teams and clusters}



_{Collaborate and integrate (blurring of the boundaries}

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The roles of university in fostering

research outputs



_{Fund and support interdisciplinary researches (in}

contrast to individuals or individual department)



_{Support common facility and equipment}



_{Provide administrative and research support}

personnel



_{Reduce administrative red-tapes}



_{Safeguard the regulatory, ethical, social and legal}

International competitiveness of

Taiwan universities for faculty

recruitment: Strengths



_{Good pension systems albeit with low salaries}

_{Good personnel fringe benefits (e.g. health}

insurance coverage)



_{Relatively good job security}

_{Good, hardworking students}

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International competitiveness of

Taiwan universities in faculty

recruitment: Weaknesses

 _{Low faculty salaries}

 _{Government personnel and immigration rules are not}

friendly

 _{Inflexible salary structure}

 _{Foreign students and scholars can not stay and work}

after they finish

 _{High teaching load}

 _{Lack of English-friendly environment}  _{Relative lack of respect in recruiting}  _{Shrinking talent pool abroad}

Talent Recruitment:

Why a researcher gives up job security in universities

to work in a research organization?



_{Good working conditions}

_{Good research facilities}

_{Good research teams}



_{Better chance for career success}

_{Maybe, higher salary}

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Threats from abroad in attracting and

retaining talents in Taiwan



_{Higher faculty salary in neighboring countries}

(China, Singapore, Hong Kong, etc.)



_{Hong Kong changes its university system from}

3-year to 4-year in year 2012 and will add 1000

new professors

Enhancing the innovation and

university-industry collaboration

 _{Encourage joint projects between university and industry}  _{Encourage patent applications from university faculty}

(Bayh-Dole Act, 1980)

 _{Give credit for studying applied science in faculty}

promotion

 _{Encourage personnel mobility between industry and}

university, e.g. flexible career paths and employment contracts, mobile pension schemes and duel

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Enhancing the Innovation and

University-industry Collaboration: cautions



_{University must keep its identity in its missions in}

education and advancement of human knowledge

while working with industry

Trends toward more flexible and efficient

university governance and operation



_{Autonomy (less interference from government or}

interest groups)



_{Governance structure (more flexibility for its}

leader to execute educational missions)

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Trends toward Changing University Governance

 _{Obliteration of distinction between public and private}

universities

 _{Declining government budget support for public}

universities

 _{In the U.S., land grant universities almost becoming}

private

 _{In Taiwan, influence and regulation from the}

government in setting tuition standard, student admission and recruitment policy even for private universities

 _{Increasing government competitive grant funding for}

Impetuses for university reform

 _{More flexibility in budget}

 _{University leadership can be held more accountable}

for his (her) actions

 _{Oversight from an independent board}

 _{Faculty is involved in oversight of academic affairs}

 _{Reduced government block funding, with increased}

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Lessons learnt from other countries



_Harvard

_MIT



_{University of California system}

_Japan



_Singapore

_Korea

Evolving trends for higher education

 _{Higher education is a privilege, but not a born right,}

for each individual who wants to pursue it,

regardless of his or her financial or social status

 _{Each student must work for it (Germany started to}

charge university tuition)

 _{University must be accountable for its own actions}  _{Must safeguard the faculty and staff’s rights and}

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Our mission is to nurture, to

do research and to serve our

society and mankind.

Let’s work together for these

goals