Talent, not English
Professor Daisy Hung’s (洪蘭) comments about the learning practices of National Taiwan University students struck a serious debate about the problems that higher education in Taiwan is facing. Following that, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said universities should offer more courses in English to retain talents and attract foreign students.
Responding to your timely and thought-provoking article “An education in internationalization” (Nov. 9, page 8), I agree with Ma that Taiwan’s system of higher education must become more connected with the world. However, offering university courses in English is not the best way to attract students.
First, English is not a native or official language in Taiwan. It is unlikely that all professors are capable of giving courses in English. Although some obtained their doctorial degrees in English-speaking countries, it is no guarantee that they are qualified to teach in English. With regard to theoretical courses, students have difficulty understanding abstract theories even in their native tongue. English would create more barriers and impede students from acquiring the fundamental knowledge they need.
Furthermore, we should not give up Chinese for English, because the whole world is learning Chinese.
English is the official language in Hong Kong and Singapore. It is therefore reasonable for them to use English in school. We should not use Singapore and Hong Kong as a reference, however, because we have different cultural backgrounds. In 2007, the US adopted an “Advanced Placement Chinese Language and Culture” program for its universities. As Taiwan is a bastion of traditional Chinese culture, we should take Chinese as our first choice instead of English.
Finally, universities should recruit outstanding Taiwanese academics from all over the world. Many celebrated academics who come from Taiwan are currently abroad or at universities in China and Hong Kong. If universities in Taiwan offered better recruitment packages, Taiwanese academics who are abroad would be more than happy to come back to Taiwan to teach here, or to conduct research. Professor Liu Chung-laung (劉炯朗), former president of National Tsing Hua University, is a perfect example. World-renowned academics, not English, would be the best incentive to attract students — both from Taiwan and abroad.
MANDY CHOU
Taipei
Ma’s poison pill
Following Saturday’s elections, I went to the post office to donate money to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Finally, after more than one year of trouble, the DPP won in Yilan County, a spiritual stronghold of the party. Though the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) still controls a majority of mayor and commissioner positions, the winner in the local elections was the DPP. This shows that the political and economic views of the DPP are more precise and acceptable to the public. Compared with the poor performance of the Ma administration, the DPP has done well as an opposition party. Ma is losing ground while DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) is emerging as a strong leader. She passed the exam; Ma didn’t.
Who, therefore, is best suited to talk with China in the name of all Taiwanese? It is not Ma. It is Tsai. While Ma rushes to sign an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China, Tsai’s status and cool style will be appreciated by more people. An ECFA could be the poison that ends Ma’s political career.
NI KUO-RONG
Hsinchu
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