Kainan University began life as the Kainan Commercial & Technical High School, which was founded in 1917 and soon earned the reputation of being the finest commercial and technical high school in Taiwan. It was not until January 1990, however, that the dream of our alumni for Kainan to be upgraded to a university began to be realized, with the establishment of a preparatory committee for the Kainan Institute of Technology.
Since March 16, 2000, when our university received official sanction, students have enrolled in ever-increasing numbers. In our first year, the university consisted of seven departments and some 600 students who began their freshmen year with us. On April 13, 2006, Kainan received official accreditation as a full university. Today thousands of students are currently enrolled and can choose courses from sixteen different departments. Taiwan is starting to see the high value of a Kainan education as our graduates enter the workforce, and we are proud to have blossomed into a fully accredited university with limitless prospects. Once a small technical school, today we boast faculty and visiting students from all over the world, an office for international programs, and relationships with prestigious schools abroad, as well as a vast and beautiful campus. Kainan University has come a long way since 1917 and promises to continue its rapid development as a world-class academic institution.
The highlights of Higher Education Sprout Project of Kainan University in 2020 are shown as below:
Sub-project A Progressing the system of ensuring the quality in teaching: In this project, we focus on the enhancement of student learning effectiveness. To achieve the objective, we provide some useful actions to enhance teaching innovation and students’ employability and cross-boundary ability. For teaching innovation enhancement, PBL (Problem-Based Learning) and multiple innovative teaching models are implemented. Teacher groups are also organized for valuable teaching experience discussion and sharing. In addition, teachers observe each other's lessons or demonstrate teaching activities. The teaching results presentation conference has been organized. For students’ employability and cross-boundary ability improvement, we provide forward-looking practical programs and invite practical professional teachers for collaborative teaching. We also provide practical corporate visits. In addition, professional licenses regarding computer software application technician and global English testing are provided. To overview the construction of students’ core ability and employability ability, we build an Assurance of Leaning system to present students’ core abilities graphically, and let they understand their core abilities in courses, representative jobs, licenses, and national exams. Learning portfolio including international exchange and essential extracurricular activities are also provided for multi-dimensional development. In project A, we trigger students' learning motivation and willingness, so as to enhance students' learning effectiveness and build great learning habit.
Sub-project B Progressive enhancing the Internet-based learning system: The rapid advancement of mobile technology has given rise to educational applications of augmented reality (AR). Kainan University AR English Learning APP, Live Campus, was launched to improve the motivation of the students and to expand learning opportunities while making them enjoy AR applications. At the end of 2020, a total of 25 marker-based AR English learning points were set up around Kainan campus on such topics as bus station, convenience store, food court, etc.
The availability of using MyET and e-learning teaching platform is 91.6% and 64.9% respectively, both were higher than expected becaused of COVID-19 epidemic.
Sub-project C Strengthen the function of tutors and improve students' basic literacy ability
1. Promote the dual tutor system for freshmen and sophomore classes to give students more comprehensive care.
2. Promote the use of the new version of the alumni questionnaire survey system and encourage all colleges and departments to strengthen alumni links.
Sub-Project D Management and Development of Internship to Promote the Employability of Students
D-1 Build and Maintain the System of Internship
In 2020, due to the COVID-19 epidemic, no student went abroad for interns. As to local interns, there were 194 students who have been visited by teachers in charge. According to the Likert Scale questionnaires from local interns, the extent of satisfaction reached 100%.
D-2 Evaluation the Performance of Internship
The percentage of students who have done an internship in 2020 were 36.7%, which is much lower than previous year. The reason is that its calculation was revised by the Campus Internship Committee in Nov. 2020. The new calculation was consideres more representative for the real situation of internship. Besides, there were 38 sessions for internship explanation, committee and result presentations in the same year.
Sub-project E Progressing the institution of starting a business: In order to enhance the entrepreneurial ecosystem of KNU, the “Startup Base” was established in March 2018 as a platform for incubating and accelerating entrepreneurship of faculties and students in KNU. We provide related facilities and space at Startup Base, such as 3D printers, showcases, booths, maker space, and creative bazaars, etc., supplemented by counseling and incubating services for all startup teams.
In 2020, there were 23 students came and asked for display booths, 1 startup teams held promotion and exhibitions, 3 groups(2 undergraduated, 1 graduated) requested assistance in starting their businesses at our Startup Base. Meanwhile, we also hosted 4 creative bazaars for facilities and students to have more opportunities for publicity and expose their crafts and ideas and we attracted 429 people to participate our activities.
To enable KNU students to have more fundamental knowledge of entrepreneurship, we integrated the teaching resources and promoted entrepreneurship courses. In 2020, we hosted 7 related courses (the average teaching evaluation reached 4.63 and the responded rate was 58.07%) with 275 students taking courses.
In addition to the integration of resources within KNU, we also tried to link external entrepreneurial resources actively. We invited 7 entrepreneurs come to have a talk at our Startup Base to help our students realize more practical experiences of running a business and stimulate their entrepreneurial ideas. The average of the satisfaction survey of these talks is 4.57 and the responded rate was 85.12%. Feedbacks from participants have been positive, as they were eager to have more discussions with our speakers after talks. In this project, we also hold two national startup competitions every year. In the year of 2020, there were only 10 teams participated, with a negative rate of -80.77% due to the COVID-19 epidemic.
Sub-Project F Develop the Smart Campus and Optimize the Infrastructure
The courses about network security, which included Information Security,Cloud Platform and Automatic Technology etc., have been offered in 2020, so there were totally 14 licenses for Cyber Security Essential have been obtained.
Sub-project H Developing the characteristics of learning to use:
In the 10911 semesters, there were 328 KNU’s students who have studied interdisciplinary courses. Besides, the Logistics Vehicle Management and Driving System has been set up, which enriched the program of Transportation Related Personnel Training and improved the effect of learning to use.
Sub-Project G Promote the Public Raise of Teaching, Stay on the Top of Interaction and Transaction of Japan
Because of COVID-19 epidemic, the plan of this sub-project has been greatly negatively impacted. However, as to international interaction and transaction, there were still 64 foreign scholars and students and 27 local teachers and students who communicated teaching and learning about KNU. In addition, there were 65 sessions which have been conducted for introducing the international communication and coaching to obtain license that is helpful for studying abroad or internships abroad.
Sub-Project I Strengthen the Institution Research and the Administrative Efficiency of Projects
I-1 Implement the Institution Research to Assist the Development Plan
In 2020, 6 cases of institution research have been carried out. On the 11 November 2020, the professor P.C. Roger Cheng of Central University who is expert in the area of institution research was invited to give a lecture for the theme “My road for institutional research – from demand of course selection to effect of catching mosquitoes”.
I-2 Operate the administrative office for projects
As necessary, the daily routine administrative affairs have been implemented. The routine meetings of 2020 that were mainly focused on the schedule of projects have been held as planned.
I-3 Open the information of operational plan
In 2020, the financial information of directors have been opened. Altogether with other relative information can be found at the website as below: https://account.knu.edu.tw/p/412-1049-83.php?Lang=zh-tw
I-4 Strengthen the specialized classroom and resources for faculties and colleges.
There mainly were B611, B406, B418, N412, N216 and metalworking specialized classrooms which have been better equipped. But according to the Likert Scale questionnaires, 83.6% of positive response has been provided that was lower than target. The reason can be considered as the malfunction of 3D printers, so the repairment is included into the next year’s plan.
USR-HUB Plan
In 2020, there were totally five USR-HUB Plans been implemented.
USR-HUB-A Promote the Culture of Yaochi jinmu in Taoyuan
The cultural festival of Yaochi jinmu in Taoyuan was mainly been
taken place from 3th Aug. to 6th Sep.. There were three students of KNU who
participated in this festival to learn how to organize the production and broadcasting
for a local cultural activity.
USR-HUB-B Film and Television Practice for Teens: Local Connection
With New Resident in Taoyuan
In 2020, there were two kinds of camp have been held, one is film
creation camp and the other is reporter camp. Both were mainly for the senior
high school students and focused on the issue of the cultural difference between
new and local resident.
USR-HUB-C The Experience Design for Green Agriculture and Leisure:
Implement the Local Sustainable Development
Cooperate with the agri-tourism areas of Da-Ku Moutain and Keng-Tzu
Stream in Luzhu District, to set up a group to work “Study Tour Center of Green
Experience”. One presentation was held to show the result. In addition, there
were totally 20 sessions and workshop taken place to promote the idea of food
and agriculture education.
USR-HUB-D Construct the Continuous Cycle and Cross-Domain Leisure
Resource in Dayuan District
In 2020, a report about the leisure resource and environment in Dayuan
District have been carried out. An investigation for the traffic calming zone in
Dayuan District has been implemented. In addition, a contest for the design of
local recycled materials were held on 25th Nov., which was reported
on the internet: http://www.taiwanhot.net/?p=881534
USR-HUB-E Baseball Training Plan for the Elementary and Secondary School
in Taoyuan
The famous baseball team of KNU university helped the students of 4
elementary and secondary schools to improve the baseball skills and to
motivate the atmosphere of local baseball sport, which is the key sport item of
Taoyuan. For the plan, there were 27 baseball players and coaches from KNU and
184 baseball players and coaches from elementary and secondary schools
to participate in this plan.