In a meeting held on March 25, faculties of TKU had discussed the possibilities of executing total quality management in Tamkang U.

Prof. Hsu Ting-chi, Director, Educational Development Center, TKU, remarked how the first application was submitted in April last year and that in early June, the preliminary approval was secured, pending a secondary review. Then in October the answer came. It listed 55 merits but with a detached 47 suggestions, ranging from check-up system, knowledge management, clientele demand, information strategy, equipment appropriation, etc.

Prof. Hsu also indicated that TKU may be proud in carrying out the TQM system, but in so far as the check-up in PDCA is concerned, there is still much room to be desired. For instance, Prof. Hsu went on to elaborate, in the working processes, it pays to set up check-up points, wherein objectives as well as timing for check-ups are to be identified and supervised gingerly. As for the findings of check-ups, appropriate measures should be meted out to deal with the existing problems.

He also suggested that in servicing the so-called customers, we should take initiatives such as accumulating information, understanding problems and inducing research on related services. As for the targeted clientele, be they students, parents, alumni/ae or industry enterprises, a foolproof mechanism should be established.

In mapping out administrative policies of the university, Prof. Hsu was even more specific. He offered 3 highlights: 1. To accommodate 2010 to 2020 development visions, a quality objective in terms of teaching, research, service, etc. should be set up. For instance, the student withdrawal rate, the number of Masters and Doctorate graduates who have completed their respective programs, the amount of Masters and Ph.D. theses produced, the ratio of students vs. professors. 2. To cause a system established guaranteeing the teaching/learning quality control, to institute an information processing system in which various pedagogical programs of TKU will be subsumed to insure quality control. 3. To reinforce website information service at all levels of education in TKU.

In summing up last year’s debacle, Prof. Hsu said that the administrative officers should be very familiar with all the activities that each unit office is involved and thus be conversant with the questions put to them by members of the Screening Committee. Also, it is imperative to limit the intended clientele to currently registered students and currently employed faculties to avoid lack of focus in answering questions.

Prof. Hsu’s astute views met with approval by both Dr. Flora C.I. Chang, V.P. for Administrative Affairs, who presided over the meeting, and many faculties who attended the meeting.

Prof. Lin Chung-ping from National Taiwan University Hospital, by sharing his experience with Tamkang U., noted that the basis of his hospital’s services is upon quality as opposed to quantity; upon all-encompassing rather than certain specifics. Rewarding is the essence of their system. The measures include supervisors’ “In-Service” training and promotion; grading system of doctors in charge of each therapeutic cure, and many other favorable devices. And, besides, a valid evaluation report accompanying each venture bespeaks the soundness of the system, as Prof. Lin was telling us.

Dr. Flora C.I. Chang, on hearing Prof. Lin’s useful views, expressed her appreciation that our goals of pursuing high quality control are chiming in with NTUH’s, although their management style is very different from TKU’s. She also indicated her reservation whether Tamkang U. should participate in next year’s competition, because it’s just like putting different eggs in one basket and there is no common ground for comparison, much less competition. She pointed out, however, that to speed up the ISO9001 Quality Recognition Recording before rushing into competition should be a feasible way.