The Performances and Highlights of the First Phase of Higher Education Spout Project
In the first phase (from 2018 to 2022) of Higher Education Spout Project, with the theme of “Quick Sprout and Perfect Progression”, aims to deepen teacher training, implement curriculum modularization and streaming, and improve professional teachers' qualifications through strategies such as interdisciplinary learning, innovative curriculum design and teaching, tightening the linkage between researches, studies and industries, cultivating students' core competencies and citizenship, and developing teachers' suitable talents for professionalism and teaching, in order to achieve long-term success. Based on the existing excellent foundation of talent cultivation, we will continue to get rid of the stale and take in the fresh.
According to the aforementioned goals and strategies, the main achievements and six major highlights of the first phase implantation as follows:
- Establishing Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies: We have coordinated and integrated resources to plan and promote interdisciplinary programs and microcredit courses. The numbers of program increase by 100 percent (which were 11 programs in 2018 and 22 programs in 2022), and the numbers of students increased by 103.54 percent (which were 367 electives in 2018 and 747 electives in 2022). The overall interdisciplinary studies include minor, double major, teacher education program, and interdisciplinary programs, and the total numbers of students increased by 91.81 percent (which were 781 electives in 2018 and 1,498 electives in 2022). Thus, it can be seen that interdisciplinary studies is now all the rage.
- Students’ practical training and good performance in Recruitment of school teacher: 1) Preservice teachers achieved excellent performance in educational practicum, which 6 preservice teachers were awarded the outstanding award and 7 preservice teachers were awarded excellent award of educational practicum; 2) The passing rate of Teacher Certification is 80 percent which is higher than overall passing rate about 15 percent to 30 percent; 3) A total of 544 students were admitted to regular, acting, and substitute teachers in public and private schools. Thus, it can be seen that the performance of teacher education is remarkable.
- Commodity development combined with local industry development: We built two R&D teams and linked to USR Hub to develop specialty products in Tianliao district, and followed the policy of Tourism Bureau of Kaohsiung City Government to cooperated with local microbrewery in Dashu District. The main achievement is that we successfully developed two special products: “Craft Beer, limited brew by Tianliao” and “Craft Beer Gift Pack”. Through the product release and media coverage, the products have been distributing and selling in limited quantities at the Tianliao Moon World Tour Customer Service Centre. Hence, it can effectively increase the visibility and marketability of NKNU's creative products.
- Exporting educational characteristics to new southbound countries: The project shared teaching materials and teaching aids with Ho Chi Minh City University of Education in Vietnam to assist in the development of educational and administrative professionals for teachers in the new southbound countries. We also signed a cross-country industry-academic partnership with the Federation of Malaysian Chinese School Directors (FMCSD) to assist in the establishment of an advanced system for sports competitions. We also participated in the International School Review - University Performance Metric rating system (UPM) and received the highest rating of five stars. Hence, it can accumulate our international influence and visibility.
- Providing resources to disadvantaged students and community welfare: We implemented priority admissions, adjust admissions thresholds, provide application fee waivers and convenient transportation services, which offer resources to 166 socioeconomically disadvantaged students. After enrolling in NKNU, we provided subsidies for academic scholarships, merit exams, professional certification exams, and awards for off campus competitions to help them studying at ease; we also offer workshops and certification classes to enhance their professional skills and obtain licenses. The rate of tutoring disadvantaged students to obtain licenses is 98 percent.
- Community care and implementation of local practices: Using “rural” as an element, we used local products and culinary culture to develop cuisine with local seasonal ingredients, shaped special themes with different humanities, and revitalized traditional crafts into the aesthetics of life. We also established a cultural and creative industry chain linking Dashu District to provincial highway 29 communities in Qishan District. Through the marketing concept of “Experience Economy”, we plan one day culinary trip with culture and sightseeing living sphere, which will enhance the value of the experience economy, accomplish the cross-disciplinary development and innovation in local industries, and exhibit new vitality between NKNU and communities.
According to above strategies, we will strive to work harder and plan more featured and organized projects to innovate and evolute performance and governance of education systems.