TKU applied for a certificate of International Safe Schools from WHO in September. The Chair of International Safe Schools, WHO, Mr. Max L. Vosskuhler, the National Outreach Coordinator of Children’s Safety Network Ms. Ellen R. Schmidt, the Vice-President of Peaceful Resources Center: Affiliate Centre WHO CC on Community Safety Promotion Mr. Michael I. Krupnick and others have come for an inspection visit today (Nov. 17). They are accompanied by Associate Professor Ming-Shinn Lee from Tung Hua University, and Prof. Lee is the promoter for ISS in Taiwan. If TKU passes the inspection, ISS will have the certificate signing ceremony at Chung Cheng Memorial Hall of TKU’s Taipei Campus tomorrow at 10:00 am and will award the certificate to TKU at 2008 Taiwan Safe Community and Safe School Development Conference at Taipei Medical University on Nov. 23.

The inspection begins with TKU’s report to ISS on the achievements of safety measures and applications. Then after interviewing students, faculties and administrators, the ISS members will inspect the campus and have general discussions. If TKU passes the inspection, it will be the first ISS certified university in the world. TKU has been promoting healthy and safe campus for years, and this is the first time it has applied for ISS certificate. The executive secretary for Promoting Safe Campus Group, Hoang-ell Jeng went to the 17th International Conference on Community Safety in New Zealand, sharing TKU’s experiences of promoting safe and healthy campuses. Hoang-ell Jeng has pointed out TKU has various safety-related committees and actively takes part in safe community activities and also has established an on-line system, recording causes, locations and frequencies of various harmful accidents. All departments can report and download information about accidents for analysis at any time. This can be a big plus for passing the ISS inspection.

Tamsui Township Office and TKU exchanged letters of appointment for safe community and safe university at TKU’s President’s Office on Nov. 13. Tamsui Mayor Yeh-wei Tsai said that both Tamsui and TKU had been fostering a good community relationship for a long time. With a great deal of precious suggestions and help from TKU professors, Tamsui succeeded in winning the WHO certified healthy township in last July. So Tamsui Township would spear no effort to support TKU in her application for WHO’s ISS certificate.

TKU President Flora Chia-I Chang also expressed TKU had been caring about campus safety and health for a long time. But because so many TKU students live off campus, off-campus traffic safety and living qualities depended on cooperation with Tamsui Township. Both of them hoped to establish healthier and safer environments for both Tamsui and TKU. ( ~Dean X. Wang )