The Tatung Institute of Technology in Chiayi City and Mingdao University in Changhua County ceased operations yesterday, while TransWorld University in Yunlin County on Wednesday closed its doors due to low enrollments and financial problems.
TransWorld University was placed on a watch list by the Ministry of Education in August 2022 due to its poor finances and given a grace period to make improvements.
However, it failed to make improvements in time and was ordered to stop enrolling new students for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Photo: CNA
According to regulations, the assets of institutions in debt must be donated to public organizations, central government agencies or other public education providers.
The Yunlin County Government has expressed an interest in taking over the land, a local government official said on Wednesday.
After its closure, arrangements would be made for 320 students at the university to study elsewhere.
Meanwhile, the Tatung Institute of Technology, established in 1963, closed its doors yesterday as the nation’s falling birthrate continues to affect enrollment and finances at education providers, with the property to be transferred to the Chiayi city and county governments.
Severance and other payments for 20 teachers and 29 staff members at the university have been remitted to their personal bank accounts, while 80 students would transfer to other institutions in Chiayi or Tainan, Tatung Institute of Technology president Yang Chang-yu (楊昌裕) said.
Also, Mingdao University officially closed its doors yesterday, with its acting president, Lin Chin-min (林勤敏), overseeing the liquidation of its property and other tasks.
Its Department of Smart and Quality Agriculture would continue operations as part of an off-campus program run by Tunghai University, department head Liu Cheng- wei (劉程煒) said.
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,