TNUA holds two-day consensus workshop for administrative and teaching staff

TNUA held a two-day workshop on Oct.11th and 12th for its administrative and teaching staff to seek consensus for the school’s development towards becoming one of the world’s best universities.

TNUA President Prof. Ju Tzong-ching said during the workshop that since becoming the head of the school in August this year, he has actively been devising plans and forums to step up communication among all teaching, research and administrative units of the school. He said the two-day workshop held ahead of the school anniversary aimed to facilitate mutual understanding and bridge the gaps between different departments and administrative offices.

Since its establishment 24 years ago, TNUA has developed from a small four-department college into a medium-size university of the arts with 5 colleges, 23 departments and 6 research centers, Prof. Ju pointed out. While the size has grown, communication may have also become more difficult. The workshop, however, should be able to improve mutual understanding, he said.

Prof. Ju also explained to participants in the workshop his vision for the development of the school, including his plan to combine the Creative Resource Center for Traditional Arts and the Center for Traditional Arts in order to better use and coordinate TNUA resources.

Prof. Ju also presented an analysis of the school’s operations by applying concepts of “SWOT” (strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats). He said TNUA has a clear focus as a university specialized in the arts. It has a strong faculty, strong capability of staging performances and running exhibitions, and highly professional equipment. Its competitive edge also comes from its special “apprenticeship model.” Apart from fully developing its characteristics, TNUA will also speed up its international exchanges and promote arts education in the local community.

At the two-day workshop, Mr. Ovid Tzeng — who is incumbent vice president of the Academia Sinica and a former education minister—was invited to give a talk on how to elevate Taiwan’s higher education.

Mr. Tzeng pointed out that the number of universities in Taiwan has now grown to more than 160 from 30 in the early years, but the funding for higher education has not grown in a similarly fast pace. How universities can cope with the lack of funding is a major issue for their administrators, he said.