The homepage of Tamkang University got a face lift! As this year being the official beginning of Tamkang 4th Wave, there is nothing more appropriate than having a new homepage to symbolize a new era. Both Chinese and English versions all received a complete overhaul.

Jou Hsiu-fen, the webpage designer for the Chinese version explains her vision, which is based on clarity and brightness, so she used red and yellow hues to achieve such an effect. On the homepage, she created a collage of azalea blossoms, Chinese-style lanterns, the University Commons and parts of Lanyang campus with the Gua-shan Island on the distant horizon of a blue sea. These pictures stand for Tamkang’s branding and spirit, which is to seek new milestones constantly.

A new function has also been added to the homepage that is the menu of the categorization of users in order to speed up their access to their individual information and related links. This categorization includes “future students”, “parents of the students”, “TKU students”, “alumni” “faulty members”, “staff” and “visitors”. Links between various sites have become more direct, too; for example, when browsing over latest events and extra-curriculum activities, users only need to click once to get to the webpage of Tamkang Times, which reports on campus events.

According to Shih Chien-chou, a professor of the Department of Information and Communication, who is also a consultant to the web design, an important feature of TKU’s homepage is its multi-lingua function. Its six-language translation makes it stand out in Taiwan among similar web pages. The new homepage naturally preserves this proud feature and each version has been updated by the Office of International Exchanges and International Education as well as each language department concerned. More importantly, the English version of the homepage ensures that more information is available to users who need it—it has added some terms and conditions of employment for foreign faculty members; insurances details, several application forms, tuition and charges together with timetable are easily accessible for foreign students. One of the newly supplemented information is TKU LIFE, which provides tips on food, clothes, accommodation and transportation. More will be added in the future through Tamkang Times offering maps of restaurants and shops in all three campuses.

Another change is the telephones numbers, address and maps of all three campuses which are clearly indicated on the new page; however, what does not change is the efficiency of spreading information. While this stays unchanged, the homepage may change once a year or even every season to keep novelty alive. (Ying-hsueh Hu)