National Taiwan University (NTU) professor Kuan Chung-ming (管中閔) took office as the university’s president at a ceremony yesterday amid lingering concerns over his controversial election.
Kuan thanked faculty, students and others for “supporting university autonomy” and “making the inauguration ceremony possible,” but did not comment on the controversy that delayed his inauguration for nearly a year.
While many people would think the position represents the peak of his career, he considered it an “opportunity to repay my debt to NTU,” Kuan said.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
Reiterating his vision for the university, he said that his priorities are enhancing its global competitiveness and promoting innovation, adding that he would do his best to collaborate with faculty and students to build “a brighter future” for the university.
Kuan was on Jan. 5 last year elected NTU president and was originally scheduled to take office the next month, but the Ministry of Education in April refused to appoint him, citing an alleged conflict of interest, as Kuan was an independent director on Taiwan Mobile’s board and company vice president Richard Tsai (蔡明興) sat on the university’s election committee.
It also found that Kuan had been on the company’s board and a member of its salary committee before the university approved his application to take up the positions.
The ministry ordered a new election, but the university refused to comply, saying that the order lacked legal basis.
On Dec. 24, then-minister of education Yeh Jiunn-rong (葉俊榮), who took office in July last year after two education ministers stepped down over the controversy, approved Kuan’s appointment, but requested that the university submit within three months a review of the controversies and propose solutions.
“With regard to some issues that arose during the presidential election, we hope the university would be open to different opinions and make improvements,” said Deputy Minister of Education Lin Teng-chiao (林騰蛟), who presided over the ceremony.
He also expressed the hope that as president, Kuan would work on communicating with faculty and students with different opinions and clarify public concerns in a timely manner.
The ceremony was attended by hundreds of people, including faculty, students, alumni and journalists, who filled the venue about an hour before the ceremony began.
About 200 police officers were deployed to maintain order, but the only protester was a professor who shouted “shame“ and gave a thumb-down sign when Kuan appeared on stage.
Although Kuan has been formally sworn in, his presidency remains uncertain due to a number of factors.
NTU professor Wu Ruey-beei (吳瑞北), who ran for president alongside Kuan, in September filed an administrative lawsuit against the ministry and NTU, requesting that the university repeat the election as there had been a potential conflict of interest in the election process.
The first court hearing is scheduled for Jan. 29.
Wu on Monday also appealed a Taipei High Administrative Court ruling that Kuan’s inauguration should not be postponed until the lawsuit reached a conclusion.
Kuan is under investigation for allegedly illegally working part-time for a magazine while serving as a minister without portfolio. If found guilty, he could be impeached by the Control Yuan.
Additional reporting by Wu Po-hsuan
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
RSS