| The Ministry of Education (MOE) announced the results of the second competition for the funding to “Develop World Class Universities and Top Notch Research Centers” on February 5th. Eleven universities will receive special funding totaling NT$9.65 billion. As a result of the combined efforts of all staff, students and alumni, NTHU achieved outstanding results and ranked second overall (behind NTU only) for quantitative and qualitative evaluations. In the next three years, NTHU will receive a subsidy of NT$1.2 billion each year, an increase of NT$200 million a year! Of all the universities awarded with this special fund, NTHU received the largest increase in both amount and percentage (see table for details).
Thirty-two universities applied in the second round competition, including 12 who received funding in the first evaluation and 20 new applicants. The standards for this evaluation took into account the attributes of each university and it was divided into quantitative and qualitative categories, each accounting for 50% of the total score. The quantitative indicators were research (30%), internationalization (10%) and industry-academia cooperation (10%). There were six qualitative indicators—administrative system and organizational operation, infrastructure, teaching and guidance, research foci and centers, strategies to further develop humanistic researches, financial planning and sustainable management.
According to the aforementioned evaluation results, 11 universities—National Taiwan University, NTHU, National Chiaotong University, National Cheng Kung University, National Central University, National Sun Yat-sen University, National Yangming University, National Chunghsing University, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Chang Gung University and National Cheng-chi University were selected as recipients of block-funding. The amount of subsidy, however, was adjusted according to the results of evaluations in 2006 and 2007, university plans, contents of reports and developmental potential. Of the 11 universities, NTHU’s overall performance was outstanding across the board. Only NTHU and NTU were judged as having “excellent performance and implementation effectiveness deserving of affirmation in 2006 and 2007.”
NTHU has the advantage of an excellent tradition, balanced development of colleges, outstanding academic performance, a productive industry-academia cooperative records and high quality teaching. With such a solid foundation we are confident we will fulfill the commitments made to receive this special support. We plan to allocate the additional funding to develop humanities education, adopting measures for organizational adjustment, including transforming into a legal person, active fund-raising and promote greater industry-academic cooperation.
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