National Tsing Hua University:
Past, Present, Future
Frank Hsia-San Shu
Presentation to Faculty Senate
10 January 2006
Goals and Objectives
• Make NTHU a great, well balanced,
research university: 20/20 vision
– Nurture human talent.
– Develop and implement long-range
plans.
– Introduce effective system of selfgovernance.
– Build and maintain the needed
infrastructure.
– Connect to the international
community.
• First, need to change the academic
system
• Second, need to increase the budget
Statistical Change in 4 Years
2002
2006
Undergrad+ 4500 +
grad
4000
Faculty
500
5100 +
5600
570
Total budget 2.9 billion
5.0 billion
NSC grant
overhead
6%
Campus
land (hect.)
100
13%
(15% 2007)
106+28+40
Highlights of Past 4 Years
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
2002: 20/20 vision: 5 & 10 year roadmaps
2002: MoE to fund 50% LRC (Macronix Bldg)
2002: Formation of UST
2003: New faculty recruitment system
2003: 33 NTHU professorships
2003: Discussions with UCB over collaboration
2004: Discussions with NCTU over merger
2004: Plans approved for I-Lan science park
2005: Signed agreement with Hsinchu County
for 2nd campus in Jhudong
2005: Discussions with UCSD over collaboration
2005: Passage of 1st yr of 5 yr/50 billion project
2005: Discussions with HEU over possible
merger
2005: Passage of Revised University
Regulations
NTHU
NCTU
Escher: Drawing Hands
Long-Range Planning
• Develop 5 and 10 year roadmaps:
– Academic Plan
– Campus Development Plan
• Review, priority setting, implementation:
– Departments or equivalents (19) and graduate institutes (13)
provide discipline expertise.
– Colleges or equivalent (8) review for relative quality in different
but related disciplines.
– University (1) implements priorities on basis of absolute quality
and programmatic balance.
Building the Infrastructure
• Under construction or advanced
planning:
– Technology Management Building (summer
2006)
– Third Guest House (summer 2006)
– Learning Resource Center/Library (2009?)
• High-priority renovations
– Additional space for EECS
– Additional space for NCTS
• New projects:
–
–
–
–
–
–
East Garden Faculty Housing (140 units)
Two New Student Dormitories (1000 beds)
Tsing Hua Labs
General Classroom Building
Innovation Incubation Center (BOT)
Taipei Alumni House (BOT)
10 yr – 120 Billion NTD
World-Class Universities Initiative
•
•
Government inducement for NTHU/NCTU merger
5 Year Plan:
– Pass letter of intent 1st year
– 3.5 billion NTD per year
– Pass merger agreement in 5th year
•
•
•
Yes vote at NTHU; no vote at NCTU (twice)
NTHU submitted on own, along with 27 other univ.
Committee evaluation:
–
–
–
–
•
•
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NTHU proposal best
NTHU performance best
NTHU method of selection presidents best
NTHU only university capable of competing with NTU
1st recommendation: 3.0 billion per yr each to NTHU and
NTU (indicator of outside academic esteem for NTHU)
MOE decision: NTU 3.0, NCKU 1.7, NTHU 1.0, NCTU
0.8 billion
Reasons: NTHU scope too small, north-south equity
New Opportunity:
Possible Merger with HEU
大
學
招
收
人
數
•
•
•
7983
7531
7500
2 billion NTD over 5 years
10 years integration period
1000 faculty members in 10 years
(new money, not new lines)
Associated high, middle, and grade schools?
Proposal
Vision for integrated school (NTHU)
Process for merger
Formed joint committee
Separate SWOT teams
Desirability for quick action
6702
6500
6323
6000
5000
–
–
7105
7000
5500
•
•
•
•
•
8000
5000
94 95
5150
96
5305
97
5965
5464
98
5628
99 100 101 102 103 104
學年度
Pros
• Combined university can become a well-rounded general
purpose university
– Supplement strengths in three areas where NTHU is understaffed:
• Education
• Fine Arts, Music, & Design
• Physical education
– Add new fields that are currently missing altogether
• Greater diversity of student body
• Lead example of how to solve Taiwan’s crisis of too many
universities
• Increased management efficiencies
– Smaller total administration
– Larger total budget for library, central computing & networking,
etc.
• Satisfy size criterion researched by R & D Division
• High-profile chance to promote teaching excellence and
service to community
Cons
• Different school cultures, traditions, & system
(10 yr integration plan)
• Dilution of NTHU quality in research
(10 yr moratorium in evaluations)
• Three campus locations
(Busing between campuses, switch of functions)
• Financial & personnel costs of physical merger
(MoE supplement)
• Potential objections by alumni
(College name for HEU)
• Other potential partners for merger with HEU
(Do not delay decision-making)
Intensive
International Collaboration
• Physical presence at UCSD & UCB
• Faculty fulfill teaching duties by longdistance teaching
• Joint PhD program
• Undergraduate summer session
• AS has budgeted monies for 2006
• UST representing 12 research
universities
– MoE supports students (proposal)
– NSC supports faculty (proposal)
Future Changes:
Faculty Performance Incentives
• Professorial salaries: merit
increases through
– Research
– Teaching
– Service
• Start-up funds
• Subsidized housing
Proposal to MoE:
Faculty Ladder System
Assist. Prof.
I
II
III*
IV
Assoc.Prof.
I*
II
III
IV**
V
Full Prof.
I**
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
Above Scale
Future Changes: Student Life
• Admissions reform
– College: admission by
university not depts
– Graduate school:
admission by institutes
• Curriculum reform
– Declaration of major at
end of second year
– More learning, less
teaching
– More research experience,
starting at college level
Parting Words
• NTHU can become a great university in twenty years if
everyone works toward a common purpose
• Executive yuan & MoE are supportive of our aspirations
• Legislators of all political parties are supportive of goals
of 5 yr-50 billion initiative
– Must hear one voice
– Must see real accomplishment and no waste
• Most important objective is to ensure continued
supplemental funding into indefinite future
• I will continue to help from the United States
• Farewell & warmest wishes for a bright future!
Thank you everyone for your
support and help the last 4 years!