Sun, Apr 04, 2021 page6

• Flexibility needed for competitive academia

  • By Chen Sinn-wen 陳信文
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  The Legislative Yuan recently completed the first reading of proposed regulations on innovation in industry-university cooperation and talent cultivation in national key areas.

  The draft legislation is to bring in resources from the corporate sector and relax some restrictions, allowing industry and government to provide funding, and universities to train the talent required in key areas.

  It is an open fact that Taiwan’s public universities are underfunded, and compared with top global universities, spending per student is low and salaries are not competitive.

  As it is difficult for the government to increase funding within a short time, corporate funding offers an important opportunity to improve the quality and competitiveness of the schools.

  For example, despite the overall lack of funding, National Tsing Hua University last year established the Taipei School of Economics and Political Science thanks to private donations that allowed it to develop education with interest earned as top foreign universities do.

  The university has a strong academic reputation, and it is the only one in Taiwan to have produced three Nobel Prize winners.

  Economics and politics are areas that the university has long hoped to develop to better train young people for the international stage, but had been unable to do due to funding constraints.

  In addition to donor support, the Taipei School of Economics and Political Science is equal to the university’s other faculties: Its members are reviewed by the university’s teacher evaluation committee, expenditures are reviewed by the university’s accounting unit, and the University Act (大學法), the Act Governing the Appointment of Educators (教育人員任用條例) the National Property Act (國有財產法) and other laws apply.

  The university has not favored businesses or lowered the school’s academic standards just because it was set up with the help of corporate funding, and the university’s independence and autonomy remain unaffected.

  The draft act also proposes to ease some regulations.

  The dilemma of higher education is not only the lack of funding, but also the inflexible restrictions and fraud prevention measures requiring lengthy formal certifications of appointments and funding.

  Although Taiwanese universities have slightly more flexibility than they used to have, official documents must still be sent back and forth on many occasions, with the result that opportunities are often lost.

  To give first-class universities the freedom they need, deregulation is necessary to allow them to make their own judgements.

  Once the legislation is passed, National Tsing Hua University will apply for permission to establish a semiconductor academy.

  The consensus at the university is that corporate funding should still be reviewed by its main accounting unit, but that more flexibility is needed.

  Qualification requirements for teaching positions would become more diverse, but applicants would still be reviewed by the university’s teacher evaluation committee to ensure that high standards are maintained.

  This is a sandbox program for higher education, and only schools with accreditation in specific areas can apply.

  Taiwan’s most prestigious universities are preparing their applications, and there is no doubt about their commitment to educational quality and reputation.

  Hopefully, the public will support the prosed regulations on industry-university cooperation and talent cultivation in national key areas — it is a timely measure for higher education and national competitiveness.

  Chen Sinn-wen is professor of chemical engineering and senior vice president at National Tsing Hua University.

  Translated by Perry Svensson
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