I have read newspapers reports that several Ilan-born scholars are pushing for a new university in Ilan County. As a resident of the county, I cannot help but point out the gap between the scholars and local opinions.
The establishment of a top general university needs a large budget and well-thought out, detailed plan. One of the blind spots in the scholars' proposal is that spending large sums of money does not necessarily create an outstanding school. Their proposal to establish a new university is not a new idea.
When construction began 20 years ago for the National Chung Cheng University
Two other new universities, Dong Hwa University
The old campus of National Chiao Tung University, which is actually an electronic engineering school, is not as good as that of a high school, but it meets local needs and has created a place for itself in academic and business circles. Whoever studies science knows that nothing is absolutely best in the world. A university that meets local needs and development should be the right choice.
Ilan is positioning itself as a center of culture and information technology. At a general university, it is almost impossible for all the departments to reach agreement to focus on the development of certain departments. Three top universities -- National Tsinghua, National Chiao Tung and National Yangming
According to its original blueprint, the National Ilan Institute of Technology
The scholars who advocate establishing a new university claim that Ilan's goals of becoming a center for information technology cannot be met by simply upgrading the Institute of Technology to university level. But if the institute can create a multi-campus system like that of the University of California, wouldn't that be great?
Establishing a top university is a goal that deserves our best efforts. But is this what most residents in the county are longing for? Most residents just want their children to have the option of studying in their hometown. A top university that most local students would not be eligible to attend is at odds with local public opinion.
President-elect Chen Shui-bian
It will take a long time to establish a new university, given the current cross-strait tensions and financial deficits. How many Ilan residents are willing to wait 20 more years to allow their children to study in their hometown? We are not willing to accept the postponement of an Ilan University just because of a small group of people hold different opinions.
Chou Hsen-hsin is an associate professor at the Ilan Institute of Technology.
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