The new academic calendar released yesterday by the Taiwan University System, a consortium of three universities headed by the National Taiwan University (NTU), followed the growing trend of shorter university semesters.
The Taiwan University System, which also includes National Taiwan Normal University and National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, first tested the 16-week semester, which deviated from the then-common 18-week semester, in 2022.
For the new academic year that is to start in September, the consortium is to begin winter vacation two days earlier than last year.
Photo: Lin Cheng-kung, Taipei Times
Meanwhile, academic institutions including National Tsing Hua University and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University have said that they are considering following suit to have 16-week semesters.
Citing the Enforcement Rules of the University Act (大學法施行細則), the Ministry of Education said one university credit is defined as one credit per 18 hours of classes, and all lab and intern courses are defined as one credit per 36 hours and 54 hours respectively.
All members of the Taiwan University System still adhere to this definition — which ensures that all courses can be concluded within 16 weeks — despite their flexible semester schedules, the ministry said.
Also citing the University Act (大學法), the ministry said universities are obligated to report when adjusting the duration of semesters, as it affects students’ learning rights.
Schools should make applications to the ministry from Jan. 1 to Feb. 15 or from May 1 to June 15, if they wish to make adjustments to the number of weeks in a semester, it said.
Commenting on NTU’s intent to designate summer semesters an official semester, the ministry said that such a plan was “not recommended” in its April 13 meeting in 2022.
At the time it advised against having a third semester, citing controversial admission fees and other issues, the ministry said.
Universities are already allowed to schedule certain courses over the summer and they should take advantage of such policies, it added.
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