Many overseas Chinese, even after living abroad for many years, cannot forget their roots. They therefore hope their children will be able to return to Free China to study, so they will be exposed to Chinese education and traditional culture. "Sinorama" has received many letters from readers asking for information on higher education in the Republic of China.
Assisting overseas Chinese to return for studies is one of the government's basic policies. Sinorama therefore has decided to act as a bridge between Chinese in Taiwan and those overseas by publishing a series of reports on the universities in the ROC. The series starts with Taiwan's oldest and largest institute of learning and the citadel of higher education in the ROC, the National Taiwan University (NTU).
The National Taiwan University was founded on Nov. 15, 1945 5 after the retrocession of Taiwan to the Republic of China. It was established as the Taihoku Imperial University by the Japanese Government in March 1928 during the period of Japanese occupation of Taiwan. It remained the only university in Taiwan until 1954.
The azaleas which are found everywhere on the NTU campus attract thousands of visitors during the spring blooming season. The tall palms along the main drive and the old and stately architecture of the buildings bear mute testimony to the history of the institution.
Besides the main campus, NTU also includes the College of Law, the University Hospital, the An-keng Experimental Farm, and the Experimental Forestry station. The main campus covers one percent of the land area of Taipei. NTU is composed of six colleges: Liberal Arts, Science, Engineering, Agriculture, Medicine and Law; and there are 41 departments and 51 graduate research institutes. With an enrollment of 12,500 full-time students, NTU is the biggest educational institution in Taiwan.
Leading scholars can often be seen walking along the university's tree-lined paths. Its students are considered the elite of Taiwan's educational system, since they must obtain the highest marks in the Joint University Entrance Examination to win a place. Among its many departments perhaps the best known are those of Foreign Languages and Literature, Business Administration, and Medicine.
Another of National Taiwan University's most noted attributes is its liberal atmosphere. Compared with other schools in Taiwan, NTU has an open campus and throughout the school many different points of view are presented. NTU has produced many of the ROC's most talented people. More than 70 percent of the school's students go overseas for further studies, and unfortunately, many fail to return afterwards.
One of the men most responsible for this free atmosphere in fact spent very little time there. Fu Ssu-nien, who served as president from 1949 to 1950, encouraged students to talk freely and openly about any subject, including government, social problems and other timely issues.
Dean of Academic Affairs, Yao Chi-ching, describes the proper attitude for a college student, "The basic and most important thing is to study, therefore students should select many courses, and audit others. They should also go to the library often and look up the materials, papers, and books their professors recommend. This is gathering knowledge for oneself."
Besides the main library, the largest in Taiwan, the university has a graduate library, five college libraries, and 26 departmental libraries. Altogether there are about 1.3 million books and 17,000 periodicals in these libraries' collections. Director of the NTU Library, Prof. Lawrence H. Chen comments, "Students use the library as a place to rest between classes, or a place to do homework, so many students who read are reading their own books. There are few who really go into the stacks looking for material." Prof. Chen blames this on the modern educational system.
To cultivate and strengthen students' library habits, Prof. Chen has prepared a booklet on library use, expanded the reference rooms, and asked graduate students to help undergraduates who are unfamiliar with the library's functions.
Under NTU's modernization program, the College of Engineering and College of Science have had their budgets increased for equipment purchases; and the College of Medicine is being completely refurbished under a US$42.5 million budget, with completion set for 1988.
The College of Engineering is entering a golden age. Its budget is adequate, machinery and equipment are new, and there are many young professors, at least half of them under 45 years of age. In addition, guest lecturers contribute their professional knowledge and understanding. Enrolment in the college has been increasing annually to reach 2,300 students, largest of all the colleges.
The College of Agriculture has 11 departments, 11 graduate research institutes, two experimental farms, an experimental forestry station and a veterinary clinic. Despite the need for agricultural experts in Taiwan, many students fail to return after graduate studies abroad.
The College of Arts and Sciences has six departments, of which the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature is by far the most well-known. One reason for the high standards of the department is the background of the students, another is the training they receive. The pressure within the department is heavy, especially during freshman and sophomore years. Department chairman Lu Cheng-lai comments: "Our professors are kept on their toes by the high caliber of the students. If they don't work hard, they can easily fall behind their own students."
The Department of Business Administration is made up of four divisions, international trade, banking, accounting, and business administration. There are 1,200 students in the department making it one of the most important sections of the College of Law. Only one in a thousand students enter the international trade division.
The School of Medicine examination is one of the hardest, and of the 90 students admitted each year, about half have retaken it. Once admitted, the student must wait seven years to graduate. One student joked, "If you want to study medicine, you have to have a strong constitution." Dean Peng Ming-tsung explains: "Man is a whole piece, you can't just 'treat the head for a headache, or treat the foot for a footache'. Medical students must therefore take many courses outside of their major area of study. That way they learn to treat the body as a whole."
Since NTU students have usually studied continuously since high school, President Yu Chao-chung thinks it is important that they get involved in extracurricular activities. He especially encourages students to take part in community service projects during the summer vacations. These projects take students to mountain hamlets, country towns, and fishing villages. Last summer the university sponsored 15 such projects.
It is not just NTU's history, library, or its programs that make it a "Citadel of Higher Education." The determination and dedication of the faculty, and the consistently high standards of its students, also play an important role.
[Picture Caption]
1. The Fu Bell was named after former NTU president Fu Ssu-nien. 2. There are many azaleas growing on the campus and when they bloom in the spring people come from far and wide to view them. 3,4. The Fu Garden is the grave site of former president Fu, and students often go there to read or relax.
1. Students treating a dog at the veterinary hospital. 2. The NTU Library houses over one million books and over 10,000 periodicals from around the world. 3. Morning joggers. 4. Dean Yu Chao-chung says, "If I respect the students then they will respect themselves." 5. Students are very attentive during class. 6. An agriculture major working on one of the experimental farms.
1. The College of Liberal Arts. 2. A statue at the College of Medicine. 3. A corner of the campus.
1. Drunken Moon Lake is one of the prettiest parts of campus. 2. The College of Law. 3. A common sight an campus. 4. The College of Liberal Arts. 5. The Experimental Forest is located in Hsitou.
Students often get up early to exercise. 2. A hall of the main library makes a quiet, relaxing place to study. 3. The College of Medicine. 4,5. October 31 is a big day for activities at NTU.
A statue at the College of Medicine.
Students treating a dog at the veterinary hospital.
The NTU Library houses over one million books and over 10,000 periodicals from around the world.
Dean Yu Chao-chung says, "If I respect the students then they will respect themselves.".
Students are very attentive during class.
An agriculture major working on one of the experimental farms.
The College of Liberal Arts.
A statue at the College of Medicine.
Drunken Moon Lake is one of the prettiest parts of campus.
The Experimental Forest is located in Hsitou.
The Experimental Forest is located in Hsitou.
Students often get up early to exercise.
A hall of the main library makes a quiet, relaxing place to study.
October 31 is a big day for activities at NTU.
October 31 is a big day for activities at NTU.
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