The Higher Education Sprout Project requests that every University set mid-term and long-term development goals. Thus, Tzu Chi University decided to be a model university that prepares students to become professionals with the spirit of volunteerism, assist volunteers around the world to pursue their lifelong education, and carry out sustainable development practices.
Objective 1: Enhancing Teaching Quality and Research Endeavor
Caried out institutional research for guiding the University to establish its policies, practices, and programs
- The University completed twelve modules for analyzing issues it faced, such as analysis of freshmen's learning adaptation and students' boldness toward innovation and entrepreneurship. The IR Office presented these results for the University's administrators to help them make decisions
Ensured students' learning effectiveness, thus narrowing the gap between their University learning and employers' expectations in the workplace, and helping them to pursue their desired jobs
- The University worked with Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital and the Academia Sinica to develop an IgM/IgG antibody detection kit. The kit has passed numerous evaluations and won the 2021 Symbol of National Quality (SNQ) Award, assuring the public of the product's safety and quality.
- For many years, the passing rates of various National Licensure Examinations taken by the University's graduating students have been higher than national averages. In 2021, all medical students passed Phase II of the National Licensure Examination for Physicians. An astounding 98.78% of the nursing students passed their Licensure Examination, higher than the national average of 55.88%. Moreover, 61.54% of the social work students passed the exams, above the national average of 27.12%.
- From 2018 to 2021, more than 90% of students decided to continue their studies at the University. Moreover, at the end of 2021, 2.18% of the University’s graduates were still looking for jobs.
- From 2015 to 2021, the University has received grants for the Career Counseling Program, funded by the Youth Development Administration of the Ministry of Education. This year, the University presented the project of Organizing IPE Inter-Departmental and Multi-Professional Team to Assist Nursing Students to Enhance Their Literacy and received grants for its innovative endeavors.
- A Learning Paradise's MOOCs course, Planetary Energy and Sustainable Development, won the Excellent Course Award bestowed by the Taiwan Open Education Symposium.
- The Center for General Education worked with National Dong Hua University on the project of Building A Clean Energy System and Preparing Students to Become Professionals in the Field, funded by the Ministry of Education, and offered two courses: Energy Saving Practice for Hospital Building; and SGS Certification. As a result, the University won the award bestowed by the Ministry of Education for providing excellent training courses.
- The Department of Child Development and Family Studies has worked with Hualien County Government to manage Parent-Child Centers in Hualien City and Guangfu Township for several years. This year, the University received the Ministry of Education’s Award for Promoting Family Education.
- The Ministry of Education awarded the University the 2021 Outstanding University in Implementing Character Education.
- A faculty member published a paper in BMC Medical Education introducing the University's endeavors to work with academic advisers, counselors, and members of the Tzu-Cheng and Yi-Te Association to support and assist students in managing their studies and daily lives.
Enhanced faculty development system and augmented research endeavors
- In 2020, only 0.55% of the University's courses received 3.5 or less in course evaluation surveys, down from 0.76% in the previous year.
- Stanford University published 2020 Top 2% Scientists in the world. Tzu Chi University's six faculty members were on the list. They are Professor Hui-Ling Lai, Professor Hann-Chiang Kuo, Professor Jen-Pi Tsai, Professor Kuan-Fu Liao, Professor Dah-Ching Din, and Professor Tony J.F. Lee. The world recognized the research endeavors of these faculty members.
- In 2021, the University received various grants listed below:
- In 2020 and 2021, 75% of faculty members who applied for the MOE Teaching Practice Research Program received grants, compared with the national average of 45% in 2020.
- In 2020 and 2021, the University received NT$4.25 million from the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education Program funded by the Ministry of Education.
- In 2019, 2020, and 2021, the University received NT$9.75 million from the Ministry of Education's New Southbound Program.
- The year 2021 was the third year of the project of Deepening Online Learning and Developing Innovative Applications, and the University received NT$3.4 million from the Ministry of Education.
- In 2021, the University received NT$1 million from the Ministry of Education's Character Program.
- In 2021, the University received the Ministry of Education's first time funding for the Smart Chip Use and Networking Technology Course.
- From 2017 to 2020, the University received a grant from the Ministry of Education's Faculty Development and Enhancement Program.
Collaborated with industry and transformed research findings into practical innovations
- Professor Hong-Chun Hsu of the Department of Medical Informatics worked with Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital and developed the Stoma Home Care App. This APP applies technology in healthcare and can accompany patients wherever they go.
- The University collaborated with Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital to set up the Seniors Health Hub for helping Hualien’s elders to carry out their regular exercises.
- Faculty members and students of the Department of Physical Therapy attended to elders' needs and developed portable plantar fasciitis exercise equipment.
- The University collaborated with Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital and Taiwan Main Orthopaedic Biotechnology Co., Ltd. The team worked on “Safe Pelvic Reconstruction with Patient-Centeredness: Using 3D Simulation to Assist Open Reduction and Internal Fixation.”This endeavor received the 2021 National Innovation Award for its clinical innovation. The multi-touch anatomy software helps medical students to enhance their surgical skills and knowledge, in addition to learning from their Silent Mentors.
- The Departments of Life Sciences and Medical Informatics worked with Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital and successfully developed the AI Bacterial Identification System, which shortened the time needed from one hour to five minutes.
- Nineteen student teams participated in the University-sponsored Innovation Contest, and each of the six winning teams received an award of NT$100,000.
Objective 2: Developing the University's unique features and working with individuals and institutions globally.
Situated in Taiwan and maintaining open-mindedness to interact with others worldwide
- In 2021, the University had 266 international students and offered 149 courses conducted solely in English, accounting for 8.51% of the total number of classes.
- The University has 72 sister universities in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. It has worked with them in academic exchanges and other collaborations. The University has also collaborated with Tzu Chi Foundation's offices in 63 countries, on five continents worldwide, which have provided the University's faculty members and students with abundant teaching and learning resources. Moreover, through working with its global partners, the University has offered more opportunities for students to learn from serving the needy overseas and study overseas as exchange students, and for overseas scholars to come to the University on short visits or to become the University's faculty members.
- The University continues to assist refugee children overseas in learning. In 2021, the University offered two multidisciplinary courses to 48 University students and required them to teach 24 refugee children of the El Menahil Syria School in Turkey. Students conducted sessions in English and covered subjects such as social work, public health, medicine, communication studies, etc., providing opportunities for refugee students to prepare themselves for pursuing higher education.
- The University attained 157th in the 2021 Green Metric World University Ranking and 14th in Taiwan. The University has worked on environmental sustainability and has ranked within the top 200 since 2017.
- The University ranked 32nd in Good Health and Well-Being of SDG 3 and 2nd in Taiwan in the 2021 Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings.
Objective 3: Attending to the needs of underprivileged students and paying particular attention to needy students in eastern Taiwan
Set up an assistance mechanism to support economically/culturally disadvantaged students to continue their studies
- The University has set up an assistance mechanism to support economically/culturally disadvantaged students and indigenous students to continue their studies. The University worked with their academic advisors, study buddies, and Tzu Chi volunteers to help students set their learning goals and reach the goals. In 2020, the University provided scholarships and financial aid to needy students, which accounted for 36.87% of the University’s annual revenue from tuition and fees, and in 2021, the percentage went up to 39.3%.
- In Fall 2021, 2.67% of our economically/culturally disadvantaged students discontinued their studies due to voluntary termination of their degree program, taking a leave of absence, or receiving dismissal for academic reasons. The percentage was down from 4.5% in 2018.
- In 2021, 0.74% of our indigenous students discontinued their studies due to dismissal related to academic reasons, down from 3.85% in 2019. 1.5% of indigenous students who discontinued their studies due to taking a leave of absence, down from 7.69% in 2019.
Enhanced University governance and all departments, institutes, and other academic units passed evaluations conducted by evaluation and accreditation institutions
The University's financial condition is excellent. In terms of financial health, the University is in 16th place overall and 6th best among private universities, in the 2021 Global Views Monthly's University Rankings in Taiwan
- The Accounting Office has complied with the Ministry of Education's requirements to disclose relevant information on the University's website. Information disclosed by the Accounting Office contains:
- The University's general information.
- Analysis of financial information.
- The total amount of tuition & fees.
- Financial aid and assistance.
- Internal audits.
- Other relevant information.
Access http://finance.tcu.edu.tw// for details.
- In 2021 Global Views Monthly's University Rankings in Taiwan, the University is 4th best among medical universities.
- The University has carried out a university-wide self-evaluation mechanism for years. All departments and institutes passed the phase I & II evaluations conducted by the Higher Education Evaluation and Accreditation Council of Taiwan. Moreover, the Center for General Education passed the General Education Evaluation, and the Center for Teacher Education passed the Teacher Education Evaluation.During December 15-17, 2021, the University received the HEEACT Program Accreditation conducted by the Taiwan Assessment and Evaluation Association.
- The School of Medicine passed the Taiwan Medical Accreditation Council's evaluation with the highest level, valid for six years.
Attended to the lifelong learning needs of volunteers worldwide and prepared students to become professionals with the spirit of volunteerism
- The Center for Continuing Education has offered courses in sixteen domestic locations, and five overseas, to serve the public. The Center has provided around 1,872 courses each year, and in 2021, the total number of students reached 45,582.
- The University has provided more online courses each year. In 2019 and 2020, it offered 32 courses, with more than 20,000 people taking the classes. The University also collaborated with other universities about online general education courses, and in 2019 and 2020, 8,698 students from Tzu Chi University and other universities took those classes.
- The staff and volunteers of Buddhist Tzu-Chi Merits Society Malaysia in Penang wanted to enhance their social work skills and knowledge. The University's Departments of Social Work and Human Development & Psychology worked with Tzu Chi Foundation's Charity Office of Eastern Taiwan, and Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital Social Service Office to provide a Social Work Program.
Helped students to perform charitable deeds and participate in the anti-drug abuse campaign
- The University worked with Tzu Chi Foundation and the PaGamO Online Education Platform on the project of Accompanying Youth to Learn Online and targeted to serve children in underprivileged families. One hundred fifty-nine student volunteers served the children during the epidemic and summer break, helping them to learn continuously and aiding them to catch up with their peers.
- Ru-Xuan Li, a Department of Human Development and Psychology student, won the 2021 National Outstanding College Student Award. Zhi-Ning Wu of the Department of Social Work won the 2021 Outstanding College Student Award in Hualien County. The School of Medicine's Jianqing Healthcare Volunteer Team and the Department of Child Development and Family Studies' Bachik Pajiq Volunteer Team won awards from the Youth Development Administration of the Ministry of Education for their excellent efforts.
- Twenty-two of the University's students received the Distinguished Volunteer Award (42 in Taiwan). Five volunteer teams won the Distinguished Volunteer Team Award (a total of 12 in Taiwan) bestowed by the Youth Development Administration of the Ministry of Education.
- The University collaborated with Hualien County Government to sponsor five sessions of Education and Training for Hualien County School Anti-Drug Abuse Seed Teachers. Fifty University members completed the training session and received certification, which would enable them to serve as instructors for the drug prevention campaign in Hualien County’s elementary, junior high, and senior high schools.
- The volunteer team of “Say No to Drugs” conducted 54 sessions of anti-drug abuse campaigns on elementary, junior high, and senior high school campuses, and 2,645 young students attended.
- In 2020, faculty members, staff, and students provided 7,532 volunteer services, and their service time reached 23,289 hours, with 26,589 people being served.
Exercised professional skills and knowledge to serve the people's needs in eastern Taiwan
- The University stood out among 38 universities and won the 2021 Taiwan Corporate Sustainability Award. The public recognized the University's endeavors and regarded the University as a model university in carrying out sustainability practices. Moreover, the University's Sustainability Report won the silver award for its excellent teaching, research, community services, and university governance.
- University president Ingrid Liu's storybook, Queen Corona Tells the Secret of NEW CORONAVIRUS, has Chinese and English versions. The storybook is on the Ministry of Culture's recommendation list to primary and secondary school students. Moreover, Tzu Chi Foundation and the government's Overseas Community Affairs Council provided 3,000 storybooks to 1,054 Chinese schools overseas, assisting students to gain epidemic-related knowledge.
- The University worked with Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital to serve people who came to the hospital for taking COVID-19 vaccines. The dean and faculty members of the College of Medicine accompanied students in the hospital. The students applied what they had learned to attend to the needs of those people and provided them with health information.
- The University sent 195,000 pieces of its developed COVID-19 antibody detection kits to seven countries overseas. The University also provided 600,000 pieces of its COVID-19 antigen detection kits to sixteen domestic institutions for their epidemic prevention endeavors. Moreover, the University has worked with numerous domestic and overseas institutions in carrying out COVID-19 related research projects. The COVID-19 research projects have passed the IRB review of Taiwan and the Dominican Republic. The University collaborated with the Tzu Chi Hospitals on one of the projects to develop serum antibody reagents.
- A total of 53.19% of physicians graduating from the University's School of Medicine decided to work in the five healthcare disciplines of internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and emergency. During the epidemic period, 51% of the attending physicians working in the intensive care unit at Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, and 61% of the resident physicians participating in epidemic-related measures graduated from the University's School of Medicine.
Fulfilled University Social Responsibility (USR)
- In 2021, 53 faculty members and 3,603students participated in various University-sponsored USR projects.
- The Center for University Social Responsibility targeted the United Nations' sustainable development goals to implement numerous projects. To enable consumers to participate in the assurance process of agriculture products, the Center developed the Participatory Grantee System (TCU PGS). Moreover, the Center worked with Green Consumer Foundation to develop an APP, namely MiHuMiSg for Delicate Farmers, to gather farmer-related information and assist in the PGS process.
- The Center for University Social Responsibility collaborated with the Hualien County Government and National Hualien Vocational High School of Agriculture to build an intelligent agriculture demo base in Jian Township’s Yi-Chang Elementary School. The team applied technology in agriculture by creating a monitoring system for hydroponic planting, and uploading hydroponic data to the cloud. The team shared that information with the public and continued to enhance climate-smart agriculture in Hualien.
Access https://hesp.tcu.edu.tw/ for more University's accomplishments in 2021