Autonomy, Governance and Accountability: Challenges of Higher Education in Taiwan

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Autonomy, Governance and

Accountability: Challenges of Higher

Education in Taiwan

Michael M.C. Lai President

National Cheng Kung University December 7, 2009

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The Missions of a University



_{To educate and nurture future leaders and}

good citizens of the society



_{To do research to produce 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)}

 _{Stiff college entrance competition despite excess admission}

quota

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

education?

 _{The falling international competitiveness, including physical}

infrastructure and quality of education

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

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The increase in number of

universities in Taiwan

In 15 years, universities grew by 89, a 153% increase.

58 60 67 78 84 105 127 135 139 142 145 145 147 149 147 -20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 94’ _95’ 96’ _97’ 98’ _99’ 00’ _01’ 02’ _03’ 04’ _05’ 06’ _07’ 08’ (year) 2/3 of universities are private.

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Government support of university

per student

Public university ： from NT$181,200 to

135,100

Private university: from NT$ 13,000 to 18,800 0 40 80 120 160 200 181.2 167.8 177.8 158.2 154.4 154.5 146.3 138.4 129.9 120.3 117.6 134.8 135.1 國立 95’ 96’ 97’ 98’ 99’ 00’ 01’ 02’ 03’ 04’ 05’ 06’ 07’ 13.0 13.4 15.1 17.2 18.9 21.3 21.3 20.5 20.7 19.7 20.0 18.7 18.8 私立 95’ 96’ 97’ 98’ 99’ 00’ 01’ 02’ 03’ 04’ 05’ 06’ 94’ 年度學年度單位：千元

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Very low university tuition

1,935 4,749 5,889 5,939 6,875 Taiwan (2008) Korea (2006) UK (2006) U.S. (2004) Japan(2006) 3,611 5,466 10,999 25,643 Taiwan

(2008) Korea(2006) Japan(2006) (2004)U.S.

Public Private

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　　 ( 西元年 ) ( 萬人 ) 15 20 25 30 35 03’ 04’ 05’ 06’ 07’ 97 09’ 10’ 11’ 12’ 13’ 14’ 15’ 105 17’ 18’ 19’ 20’ _{22’ 23’24’ 25’} 21.75 20.10 16.90 26.97 20.08 33.61 _32.40 21.75 19.20 28.15 25.47 24.07 19.20 17.90 08’ _16’ 2021

newborns Admission quota18-year old Rapidly declining birth rate threatens university

Rapidly declining birth rate threatens university

survival

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A solution: 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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The strengths and weaknesses of

university education in Taiwan

 _{Students are well-prepared in k-12 education}  _{Strong faculty, but teaching load is too heavy}  _{The course requirements are generally too easy}  _{Does not emphasize interdisciplinary learning}

 _{Not enough emphasis on humanistic education and}

creativity training

 _{Not enough internationalization (global language}

skills, intercultural awareness and international competitiveness)

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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}

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_{Build research teams and clusters}

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_{Collaborate and integrate (blurring of the boundaries}

between the traditional departments and institutes)

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The roles of university in fostering

research outputs

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_{Fund and support interdisciplinary researches (in}

contrast to individuals or individual departments)

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_{Support common facility and equipment}

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_{Provide administrative and research support staff}

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_{Reduce administrative red-tapes}

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

issues.

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International competitiveness of

Taiwan universities for faculty

recruitment: Strengths

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_{Good pension systems albeit low salaries}

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

insurance coverage)

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_{Relatively good job security}

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_{Good, hardworking students}

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_{Strong research and academic infrastructure}

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_{Big talent pool abroad}

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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}

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Talent Recruitment and retention:

Why does a researcher give up job security in

universities to work in a research organization?



_{Good working conditions}



_{Good research facilities}



_{Good research teams}

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_{Better chance for career success}



_{Maybe, higher salary}

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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

employment in industry and university

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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 the educational missions)

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_{Accountability (to hold universities and their}

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Trends favoring changes of university governance

 _{Obliteration of distinction between public and private}

universities

 _{Declining government budget support for public}

universities

 _{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}

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Impetuses for university reform

 _{More flexibility in budgetary and personnel policies}  _{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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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 university’s}

competitiveness

 _{Offer incentives for faculty and staff and university as well}  _{Continue block funding from the government}

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Principles of University Reorganization

 _{University reorganization is not to save money for}

higher education, but to increase university competitiveness

 _{Must safeguard the privilege and rights of the current}

faculty and staffs, and provide incentives for them

 _{Must not harm the university’s competitiveness in the}

future in recruiting

 _{Establishing an independent board of directors could}