The government has unveiled a NT$19.13 billion (US$647.84 million) subsidy package for universities this year, in response to growing concerns about the impact of population aging on the education sector.
This year’s allocation is an increase of NT$568 million compared with the higher education subsidies last year.
Part of the subsidies comes from the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) ongoing Higher Education Cultivation Project, Department of Higher Education Director-General Liao Kao-hsien (廖高賢) said on Tuesday last week.
Photo: Rachel Lin, Taipei Times
The current phase of the project, which runs from 2023 to 2027, aims to improve the quality and accessibility of education while enhancing the global rankings of Taiwanese universities, he said.
National Taiwan University received NT$2.63 billion, the largest amount awarded to a Taiwan university, an increase of NT$32.64 million from last year.
National Sun Yat-sen University received NT$616.94 million, up NT$198.1 million from the previous year, while National Chung Hsing University was allocated NT$546.56 million, an increase of NT$85.72 million.
National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University received NT$1.44 billion, an increase of NT$66.52 million from last year, while National Tsing Hua University also received NT$1.44 billion, with the same NT$66.52 million rise. The four universities received the largest increases in government subsidies.
National Cheng Kung University received NT$1.5 billion, up NT$25.78 million from the previous year, and National Central University was allocated NT$464.35 million, an increase of NT$37.67 million.
The National Taiwan University of Science and Technology received NT$45.07 billion, the largest amount among the nation’s vocational universities.
The first part of the project was allocated NT$12.36 billion, which includes NT$2.45 billion aimed at strengthening academia’s ties with local communities and facilitating the enrollment of students from disadvantaged backgrounds or of indigenous descent, Liao said.
The second part of the project was budgeted NT$6.77 billion, including NT$4.86 billion for schools to use at their discretion and NT$1.88 billion to specific departments or research centers, he said.
Last year, 10 research centers at National Taiwan University received NT$45 million in government subsidies under separate programs managed by the MOE and the Ministry of Science and Technology, university president Chen Wen-chang (陳文章) reported.
Recent government policy changes shifted the responsibility for funding these research centers to the MOE, whose budget has yet to be approved by the legislature, he said.
Taiwanese higher education institutions need about NT$20 billion of subsidies this year if the nation wishes to strengthen the educational system and retain academic talent, he said, urging lawmakers to support universities.
In agreement, National Central University president Hsiau Shu-san (蕭述三) said that the government should provide greater support to Taiwanese universities, which face increasing competition from foreign institutions.
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
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
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
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
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