“Webometrics Ranking of World University helps us to locate ourselves, rethink our values and our future goals,” Founder Clement C. P. Chang commented on the result of ranking.

TKU′s steps to information technology, as Founder Chang revealed, began early when he was invited to represent Taiwan at “Conference on Information Technology” at Harvard in 1965. The conference was organized by the ex-Secretary of State, Kissinger, 30 countries in the world were chosen, each with only one representative. A visit to M. I. T. and U.S. Department of Defense was taken after the conference, which allowed Founder Chang to see the application of computers for the first time. He said with smile, “After I returned, I immediately started planning to promote information education, which was not realized until 1969.” TKU′s Department of Computer Science was instituted that year; some engineers from IBM came to our aid, and teachers and staff were required to learn to use the computer.

I-ming Sheng, who served as the first-level administrative head of Information Processing Center, participated in the history of the development of computer teaching and apparatuses. He took on much responsibility in executing the information-oriented policy and contributed much to the “computerization of school’s administrative affairs,” “information system of the administrative of school affairs,” “automatization of the library,” and “automatization of the office.”

In 70s and 80s, Founder Chang started sending teachers abroad to take Computer Assist Instruction programs and accelerated the information-oriented move, gradually building up today’s achievement. At that time, Taiwan University once sent professional personnel to TKU for catching up with the new trend. In 80s, Founder Chang went to University of Illinois for learning and understood the development of mini-computer and Internet technology; his idea of integrating the computer and teaching began there. He thus insisted that students of both College of Sciences and Liberal Arts must take information-related courses. Founder Chang recalled, “In order to better students’ learning, school purchased many up-graded software and hardware, such as the IBM computers which were as expensive as houses. The only purpose is to catch up with the world’s information-oriented trend.”

The Internet plays an essential role in students’ learning, teachers’ evaluation and long-distance teaching in the current educational system. Founder Chang revealed that the idea of cyber campus started as early as in 2000 when Lanyang Campus was being designed and was realized after five years’ planning. He pointed out, “This is what speed is all about!” As he continued, Honghai Enterprise donated 10 billion dollars to Taiwan University to build a center for curing cancer and invested 5 billion to cooperate with Taiwan University for the construction of biological medicine in order to create the edge of speed. Because of intense competition, many competitors start to work on “quality” and “quantity.” In such a situation, only with “speed” can we take the lead. He said humorously, “When the rabbit does not fall into sleep, how can the turtle win?”

Finally, Founder encouraged, “This year’s ranking helps us to identify our position in the world. We should start reposition ourselves and stick to our ambition for renewal.” All administrative and academic divisions must reposition themselves in information system and cyber campus. And various departments and institutes should relocate their positions in various fields and never stop their will to the better. All efforts are for one single purpose: to take the “wild card” to create the winning edge in the future. ( ~Han-yu Huang )