National Chengchi University (NCCU) has opened a co-ed dormitory, a first in Taiwan among state-funded Taiwan universities.
The 22 duplexes are at the renovated “Huanan New Village,” in Taipei City’s Mucha (木柵) area, near the NCCU campus, a school official said yesterday.
Twenty-two out of 37 group applications were selected in a lottery draw to select who would be chosen to live in the units, which can either be shared by up to eight students if the unit has four bedrooms, or up to 10 students if it is a five-bedroom unit, officials said.
Photo courtesy of the school
Completed in 1964 for campus staff housing, the “Huanan” residence has since undergone renovation and cultural preservation work in recent years, with NCCU now allowing male and female co-habitation, and each unit is provided with beds, tables, chairs, a refrigerator and a washing machine, officials said.
The units are reasonably priced, as the total monthly rent ranges between NT$20,000 to NT$25,000 for groups of up to 10 students per house, and the cost for each student is only about NT$2,500 per month for a school term duration, officials said.
In other related news, a recent survey conducted by the Professor Huang Kun-huei Education Foundation found that Taiwanese are in favor of abolishing gender segregation at high schools, endorsing boys and girls to be taught together in classrooms during their teenage years.
Nearly all top high schools across Taiwan are unisex, said professor of education Kuo Sheng-yu (郭生玉) who headed up the survey.
“This school segregation by gender is like ‘Apartheid’ for students, It is a severe violation of the human character,” Kuo said last week.
“During a student’s teenage years, attending high school is the most critical stage for getting to know the opposite sex. The schools should not be segregated, and boys and girls should learn together in classrooms,” he added.
Survey results showed Taiwanese have more progressive concepts on gender issues, with 80 percent saying they would encourage children to challenge traditional gender roles, so that they are less restricted by norms when pursuing personal interests and professional careers, foundation director Huang Kun-huei (黃昆輝) said.
Nearly 70 percent agreed that society has changed, he said, adding that Taiwan’s traditionally male-centered mindset has diminished.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19