NTU Guidelines for the Enhancement of Academic Research
in Humanities and Social Sciences
Approved at the 2304th Administrative Council Meeting on August 12th, 2003
Revision approved at the 2319th Administrative Council Meeting on December 2nd, 2003
Revision approved at the 2374th Administrative Council Meeting on January 25th, 2005
Revision approved at the 2402nd Administrative Council Meeting on September 20th, 2005
Revision approved at the 2723rd Administrative Council Meeting on July 17th, 2012
Article 1 In order to enhance academic research in the fields of humanities and social
sciences,
pursue
academic
excellence,
improve
international
competitiveness and assist teaching staff to devote every effort in writings
to attain specific achievements, National Taiwan University (hereinafter
referred to as the “University”) hereby establishes the Guidelines in
accordance with provisions of the “NTU Guidelines on Incentive Measures
for the Enhancement of Academic Research.”
Article 2 The applicable scope of the Guidelines includes all relevant researches in
the fields of humanities and social sciences, each college that establishes its
own related measures in accordance with the Guidelines and submits them
to the University for approval and individual department and institute of
each college that establishes relevant enforcement rules by itself by
following provisions of the Guidelines and submits them to its college for
approval. There are three parts in the Guidelines, including Part I Policy on
Teaching Hour Reduction (Article 3 to Article 8), Part II Subsidy Guidelines
on Funds of Editing Writings Written in Foreign Language (Article 9) and
Part III Approval and Revision (Article 11).
Part I Policy on Teaching Hour Reduction
Article 3 Department or institute of each college may set its own enforcement rules
on teaching hour reduction policy by following the spirit of the Guidelines
in order to enhance research results. There are two ways to reduce teaching
hours:
1. Reduction of three teaching hours per academic term (which means
1
that 8 hours for professor, 9 hours for associate professor and assistant
professor, and 10 hours for instructor are reduced to 5 hours for
professor, 6 hours for associate professor and assistant professor, and 7
hours for instructor) is granted in order for the faculty member to
devote every effort to research writings for a term of three years. The
faculty member must submit research writing for evaluation upon
expiry of three-year term.
2. A faculty member may select an academic term with no teaching at all
within three years in order to spare no effort to research writing. The
faculty member will conduct regular teaching without increased hours
for the remaining five academic terms.
If the above-mentioned three-year-tem research results pass college
evaluation, the faculty member may apply for another teaching hour
reduction plan in next phase one year later. Those whose research results are
not endorsed by the college are barred from applying for another teaching
hour reduction within three years.
When submitting application for teaching hour reduction to the department
or institute for evaluation, faculty member should enclose research writings
plan for a term of three years and other relevant information. Those courses
that are not offered due to reduction of teaching hour of the faculty member
will be open and instructed by a part-time faculty member, including a hired
part-time instructor without filling in a teaching vacancy, scheduled by the
department or institute to supplement number of courses and teaching hours.
The required funds shall be borne by the University. During the period of
teaching hour reduction (the aforesaid Item 1 and Item 2 within three years),
faculty members who are on reduced teaching hour plan must observe the
following restrictions:

No part-time teaching outside the University, and no teaching at the
NTU School of Professional and Continuing Studies or other NTU
professional studies programs;

No concurrent employment at other public or private organization;

Shall not carry out duties commissioned by other public or private
organization;
2

Shall not accept research projects other than the one or ones approved
for teaching hour reduction unless entrusted by the NSC;

No NTU administrative duties allowed;

Applicant is not eligible for temporary job transfer outside the
University;

May be exempt from NTU committee or conference delegate services;

Faculty members who have less than three consecutive years of service
after their last job transfer may not apply for another teaching hour
reduction;

Faculty members who have less than two consecutive years of services
at NTU may not apply for the reduction plan;

Those who are granted a reduction of teaching hours will not be
compensated for any extra teaching hours.
Article 4 The number of faculty members who do not teach at all for one academic
term within three years as stated in Item 2 of Article III may not exceed
10% of the total number of faculty members in the department or institute
(to be counted as one person if 10% is less than one person). The sum of
faculty members having teaching hours reduced as stated in Item 1 and Item
2 of Article III of the Guidelines may not exceed 20% of the total number of
faculty members in the department or institute for each academic term. The
aforementioned percentages also are the upper limits of budget for hiring
part-time instructors regulated by the University. In the event of special
condition, with Dean’s approval, the percentage can be adjusted to be no
more than 20% of the total number of faculty members in the college. If
more than 20% is required, the situation should be reported to President of
the University for evaluation.
Article 5 Under limited quotas, the enforcement rules of teaching hour reduction
established by each department or institute itself for the enhancement of
research should include examination measures for the reduction plan
application. These rules shall be submitted to the college for approval. Each
department or institute shall review these applications by itself in
accordance with the enforcement rules within budget range under the
condition that part-time instructor can be hired. Basic principles of these
3
measures may include (but not limited to):
1. Teaching condition (including number of courses, teaching hours and
teaching quality) in general is not affected.
2. Priority is given to faculty members who produce outstanding
academic writings during the past three years. If academic writing does
not meet certain requirements, the faculty member may not apply for
teaching hour reduction.
3. Assistant Professors and Associate Professors have priority.
4. Young faculty members have priority.
5. Recipients of multiple NSC Research Project Grants in recent years
have priority.
6. Faculty members who have never applied for this reduction benefit
have priority.
Among the aforesaid contents, Item 1 and Item 2 are indispensable
requirements. The rest of the contents may be determined by each
department or institute at its own discretion.
Article 6 Faculty members applying for reduction of teaching hours as stated in
Article III of the Guidelines must be evaluated by the colleges upon expiry
of the three-year term. Each college shall set its own policy on evaluation
measures. Basic principles are given as follows. Results of research writings
include (but not limited to):
1. SCI, SSCI, A&HCI, TSSCI (formal and watch list), THCI (formal and
watch list) and journal paper (including accepted paper but has not
published);
2. Papers are published by other international journals recognized by
official meetings of colleges (such as Faculty Evaluation Committee &
Faculty Board Meeting)
3. Books are published by a publisher that has strict censorship on
publications and the publisher is recognized by official meetings of
colleges (such as Faculty Evaluation Committee & Faculty Board
Meeting). (The applicant’s book that has not completed yet may also be
taken into account. However, writing plan of the book should be
enclosed and the book has been completed at least half of the planned
4
book and identified by inter-district accreditation.)
Among various research results mentioned above, any faculty member who
applies for reduction of teaching hours shall be the first author of a paper or
book. If authors of a paper published on a journal are listed by alphabetical
order, the applicant should provide description on contribution to the paper
and the contribution should be recognized by Validation Team for Journal
of Liberal Arts, Office of R&D. The minimum requirement for passing
evaluation for a faculty member is to complete at least three research
papers. The restriction shall not apply for the condition as stated in Item 3
of this Article. The results of a faculty member with teaching hours reduced
within three-year term should exceed the results without reduction of
teaching hours within three years.
Article 7 If a department or institute has number of faculty members who have
reductions on teaching hour for three consecutive years exceeding 15% of
total number of faculty members, the department or institute when reaching
its fifth full year must have improved ranking or maintaining its leading
position in its field in the research results ratings performed by NSC
national teaching and research institutions.
Article 8 Each college should refer to the aforesaid details of each Article of the
Guidelines and establish its own regulations on reduction of teaching hours
in order to improve research quality, including enforcement rules for each
department and institute as well as procedures and standards for evaluating
research results. These regulations should be submitted to the University for
approval. When application for teaching hour reduction submitted by
faculty members of the college are reviewed and approved by the college,
project plan of the three-year term research and other relevant information
together with the application form should be submitted to the University
requesting for funds subsidy.
Part II Subsidy Guidelines on Funds of Editing Writings Written in Foreign
Language
Article 9 Each college may establish its own guidelines on hiring professionals to edit
writings written in foreign languages by faculty members (including
5
conditions and examinations on funds of editing writings written in foreign
languages, application and procedures, required budget, etc.) and submit the
guidelines to the University for approval and enforcement. In principle,
subsidy will not be granted for translating Chinese writings into foreign
languages. However, the restriction shall apply to special conditions that are
approved through certain processes by each college. Each college shall
submit application for subsidy on editing writing fees and enclose relevant
documents to the University at any time by following reporting measures to
the University.
Article 10 Budget quotas of subsidy for each college shall be determined by the
University by referring to the approach proposed by each college.
Part III Approval and Revision
Article 11 The Guidelines have been approved by the Administrative Council
Meeting and shall take effect on the date of promulgation.
6