Challenges and changes: TNUA President Prof. Ju’s New Year talk
In 2008 the world faced a “once-in-century” challenge.The quickly deteriorating macroeconomics sent businesses of all fields scrambling for ways to tackle the downturn. I believe everyone of us must have felt the strong impact. But looking at it in a different way, the worst time is exactly the best time for changes. If we can meet the challenge in an optimistic and positive way and at the same time reevaluate and reinvent ourselves, we
will still be able to have outstanding achievements during the difficult times and strengthen the foundation for a better future.Academic achievements and international exchanges
Thanks to the joint efforts of the entire TNUA family,2008 was a fruitful year in terms of teaching, research,exhibitions and performance productions. Our achievements have been getting better and better each year. TNUA received high acclaim from the Ministry of Education in its evaluation of the Excellence Program for Academic Year 2007. For Academic Year 2008, TNUA continues to receive sponsorship from the program in the form of a NT$62.5 million funding – the second highest sum awarded to any national universities in Taiwan, and the highest among all local arts universities.In addition to that, after much hard work, the Department of Fine Arts have finally received permission to run doctoral programs, which are expected to start to enroll students in Academic Year 2010. This is remarkable
judging that the Ministry of Education maintains a policy of tight quantity control on higher education enrollments.
In our international ties, our international sister schools last year increased to 23 from 14, with the new friends coming from Poland, Finland, Korea, Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai. Different departments and offices were eagerly engaging in international exchange activities.
We had the inaugural International Workshop for Art Academies, the film festival featuring works from Taiwan, China and Hong Kong, and the cultural and art management forum. These marked a great stride for TNUA towards internationalization.Building on its years of foundation, TNUA over the past two years have devoted more to serving our community and developing stronger links with society. In order to achieve these goals, our arts service team last year ventured into remote communities to turn art into a form of social service. We are also looking at widening such services to an international level in the future.Adding to its performance and exhibition facilities – a concert hall, dance hall, theatre and a fine arts museum –TNUA opened its Arts and Activity Complex, which houses a movie theatre.Integration of resources and the role of a champion Our goal this year is to achieve growth and improvement with limited resources available. If we could still maintain our competitiveness and make advancements despite diluted higher education resources and the unsatisfactory macroeconomics, it would be strong testimony to our capabilities, devotion and determination.From the proposals various departments and offices have submitted for the Excellence Program for Academic Years 2009 to 2012, we can tell their expectations in
terms of resource integration, creativity, and uniqueness. However, in the coming four years, the Ministry of Education will adjust its funding for the program, meaning competition will be more intense. Therefore, we must work even harder, making plans for multiple-year projects
and enlisting resources that can advance our goal of internationalization, improve the academic work, and establish more outside links. We are aspiring to become the role model in Taiwan’s arts education.One issue worthy of attention is that the Ministry of Education plans to implement a policy for reducing enrollments based on the performance of a school’s
teaching staff. Therefore we will continue to recruit excellent teachers and integrate our curriculum.The new dormitory complex has been more than 70% complete despite rising construction costs and the change of the contractor last year. The new dormitory and international guest house will be opened during Academic Year 2009. This year we will also start planning on a project to construct new classrooms for dancing and theatre courses.
In 2008 we faced various challenges, but we managed to have outstanding achievements. In 2009, the challenges may be even bigger, but I firmly believe that we will have even better ways, greater courage, firmer determination, and the utmost creativity to achieve more
for TNUA. I hope everyone of us can work hard to realize the goals.