In the 7th International Conference on Distributed Multimedia Systems, a lecture given by Dr. Chang Hsi-kuo, Department of Data Processing and Information, Pittsburgh University, has drawn a resounding applause from attending conferees. His topic “The Growing Book” is centered upon the development of the so-called Macro University; an unreal university, yet it does exist on the cyberspace. Through the mechanism of the Internet, 5 universities including Tamkang, Chiao Ta, Feng Chia, Aizu of Japan and Pittsburgh of U.S.A., despite their diversified cultural background, could be linked together; their faculty could work together by exchanging opinions and views on textbooks, and sharing each other’s resources. Students, however, are the big winners, because they are exposed to a wide range of curriculum on the Internet.

Prof. Wang Ying-hong from the Department of Information Engineering indicated that regrettably, the number of students admitted to this program is restricted to 30 or 40 people because of the Broad Band problem. The curriculum, therefore, is limited to studies of Data Processing only.

Tamkang e-Times also learned that Prof. Shih Kuo-chen, also from the Department of Information Engineering, is seeking cooperation with the French Department, and a much broader base of on-line teaching will soon become a reality.