Tamkang University (TKU) and the Institute for Information Industry (III) signed an e-Learning Strategic Alliance on Jan. 21, 2003. TKU became the first university in Taiwan to sign such an e-learning alliance with III to jointly develop the cooperative e-learning project for higher education in the Republic of China (ROC).
At present, TKU has been employing the platform of IDEA designed by III to develop more than 40 courses and teaching materials. More than 20 teachers and over 4,000 students have already had a trial through e-learning network. The III and the IBM, which possess the best software and hardware support, are cooperating to produce on-line teaching materials. This cooperation has become the best partnership of industrial experts, government officials and scholars. The cooperative project between TKU and III will include A) Researching taping and building digital teaching environment; B) Sponsoring digital learning speeches and seminars; and C) Developing online teaching materials and offering distance extension education credit courses.
TKU and III will integrate the experts on education, computer and network and have its essential technology developed in order to build a humanizing, digital learning environment rich in quality and technology for learners. TKU and III will contribute the experiences and results in developing teaching materials, platform technology and network teaching to the “National Digital Learning Technological Project” so as to upgrade the learning quality and competitiveness of higher education in Taiwan.
TKU President Chang Horng-jinh said while addressing at the signing ceremony that to make learning available anytime and everywhere has become the most demand for a modern people. TKU will soon develop the Fourth Campus as a cyber campus to join the plan of distance learning program to keep up with the evolution of world trend. He continued to say that TKU and III enjoyed very much the mutual cooperation in the past two years. Furthermore, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has acknowledged the credits of distance teaching as formal credits for graduation as long as the credits do not surpass one-third of total credits. It’s indeed a good cooperation with high expectation, Chang added.
On the same day, the III marked its newly established “Digital Learning Technological Center” and signed a cooperative project with IBM.
Lin Feng-ching, the Executive Manager of III, said that due to the good effect of cooperation between TKU and III in the past two years, TKU and III have formally entered “e-learning strategic alliance” to set up and promote distance teaching home and abroad for a life-long learning goal. The III intends to expand cooperative fields with TKU because TKU has not only a responsible unit with professionals but also has its high efficiency in harmonic cooperation. Besides, TKU has nearly 70 sister universities around the world, the future market for distance teaching through cyber technology will be amazing.
Lo Yung-chien, General Manager, IBM Service Department, thanked TKU for its consistent cooperation with IMB using the latest IBM products. The IBM has always been proud of the success in information education achieved by TKU, Lo said. He described this cooperation as a “golden triangle”. Gerry J.R. Ou, Deputy Director General of the Industrial Development Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, said that the III selecting TKU as its cooperative partner is a best example to follow.
