National Tsing Hua University and a private foundation yesterday signed a contract in Taipei to found the Taipei School of Economics and Political Science (TSE).
Signed by TSE foundation chairman Huang Huang-hsiung (黃煌雄) and university president Hocheng Hong (賀陳弘), the school represents the first collaboration in the nation between a private foundation and a public institution to set up an educational institution.
The TSE is to be established inside the Hsinchu-based university, becoming the 11th college on campus, Huang said, adding that it plans to admit 10 graduate students in September next year, before gradually raising the number to 30 doctoral and 150 graduate students each year.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
International students are expected to make up two-thirds of the studentry, with all courses taught in English, he said, adding that graduation diplomas will be conferred by the university.
The university has been the cradle of numerous talent in science and technology, making it an ideal partner to run the TSE, which seeks to cultivate professionals in politics, economics, new technologies and sustainable development, he said.
The inspiration for founding the school was the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), which was founded in 1895 by members of the Fabian Society for the betterment of society, he said.
Minister of Education Pan Wen-chung (潘文忠) attended the signing ceremony.
Lin Chen-hai (林陳海), the main donor who set up a NT$3 billion (US$100 million) fund for the TSE, said the interest generated by the fund would be used as operating expenditure for the school, which is estimated to be about NT$100 million each year, said his son, Lin Chia-hung (林家宏).
The establishment of the TSE is a groundbreaking experiment on higher education innovation and globalization in Taiwan, while the scale of funds injected into the school for the development of social science is unprecedented, Hocheng said.
TSE combines the prestige of the public sector with the flexibility and resources of the private sector, making it the first of its kind in Taiwan, and extremely rare in Asia, Hocheng said, adding that he is certain it would greatly raise the nation’s global profile.
Additional reporting by CNA
SHIPS, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES: The ministry has announced changes to varied transportation industries taking effect soon, with a number of effects for passengers Beginning next month, the post office is canceling signature upon delivery and written inquiry services for international registered small packets in accordance with the new policy of the Universal Postal Union, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday. The new policy does not apply to packets that are to be delivered to China, the ministry said. Senders of international registered small packets would receive a NT$10 rebate on postage if the packets are sent from Jan. 1 to March 31, it added. The ministry said that three other policies are also scheduled to take effect next month. International cruise ship operators
NUMBERS IMBALANCE: More than 4 million Taiwanese have visited China this year, while only about half a million Chinese have visited here Beijing has yet to respond to Taiwan’s requests for negotiation over matters related to the recovery of cross-strait tourism, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. Taiwan’s tourism authority issued the statement after Chinese-language daily the China Times reported yesterday that the government’s policy of banning group tours to China does not stop Taiwanese from visiting the country. As of October, more than 4.2 million had traveled to China this year, exceeding last year. Beijing estimated the number of Taiwanese tourists in China could reach 4.5 million this year. By contrast, only 500,000 Chinese tourists are expected in Taiwan, the report said. The report
Temperatures are forecast to drop steadily as a continental cold air mass moves across Taiwan, with some areas also likely to see heavy rainfall, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. From today through early tomorrow, a cold air mass would keep temperatures low across central and northern Taiwan, and the eastern half of Taiwan proper, with isolated brief showers forecast along Keelung’s north coast, Taipei and New Taipei City’s mountainous areas and eastern Taiwan, it said. Lows of 11°C to 15°C are forecast in central and northern Taiwan, Yilan County, and the outlying Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties, and 14°C to 17°C
STEERING FAILURE: The first boat of its class is experiencing teething issues as it readies for acceptance by the navy, according to a recent story about rudder failure The Hai Kun (海鯤), the nation’s first locally built submarine, allegedly suffered a total failure of stern hydraulic systems during the second round of sea acceptance trials on June 26, and sailors were forced to manually operate the X-rudder to turn the submarine and return to port, news Web site Mirror Daily reported yesterday. The report said that tugboats following the Hai Kun assisted the submarine in avoiding collisions with other ships due to the X-rudder malfunctioning. At the time of the report, the submarine had completed its trials and was scheduled to begin diving and surfacing tests in shallow areas. The X-rudder,
RSS