Tamkang tops the rank among private universities in the grant and subsidy received from the Ministry of Education (MOE), after having been rewarded NT$ 157 million due to outstanding performances in the annual pan-university assessment this year, particularly in the categories of "The Overall University Achievement" and "Development Plans of the University Affairs". Dr. Flora Chang, TKU President is extremely pleased with the news, as it is another positive sign of recognition from the government. An earlier recognition came in August when TKU was confirmed to be the best in many categories among Taiwan's private universities in the assessment.

According to the MOE, the grant given out to universities is tied to the results of its annual assessment, which is usually conducted by a special committee composed of established scholars, experts and governmental officials. The amount of grant is calculated based on the research projects, achievements, size and student-teacher ratio of the university. The award of the grant and subsidy is reviewed every three years.

The MOE awards its aid in a 70% for The Overall University Achievement and 30% for the Development Plans of the University Affairs ratio. The former category includes "Teaching and Consulting", "Research and Services" and "Administrative Operation", whereas the latter include various current and on-going plans as well as projects. It has given a total of NT$ 3312743000 to 35 private universities this year with 65% in the form of grant and 35% of subsidy. The MOE stresses that this money should mainly used for upgrading teaching software, environmental safety and sanitation standard. Training and counseling services for students should benefit from the boost of cash as well.

The results of the annual assessment also show that the average performances of private universities have improved. Related statistics reveal that the number of full-time assistant professors increased by 4.38% in 2003 comparing with the previous year; meanwhile, publication in SCI, SSCI and HCI journals by each teach rose from 0.09 to 0.12 article. Furthermore, number of papers published in EI periodicals and journals reached 920. Activities held for students' career development rose to 3279 times, too. These results indicate that aid from the MOE has an positive impact on the advancement of Taiwan's universities. ( ~ Ying-hsueh Hu )