Industry-academia partnerships a win-win strategy

During one of its internal sessions, the MOE also approved the Implementation Guidelines for Promoting Cooperation Between Business and Institutions of Higher Education.

"We would like to encourage the universities to put equal emphasis on education and internship, and enhance the cooperation between enterprises and schools, "said Tu Cheng-sheng, Minister of Education.

The MOE, in harmony with the Human Resources Programs passed by the Executive Yuan last October plans to expand the industry-related content of school curriculums in order to derive more value from the increased cooperation between industries and schools.

The MOE will implement two-year vocational college degrees to fill in the present manpower shortage of domestic industries.

Other programs meant to enhance industry-academia cooperation is the three-in-one program (vocational high schools plus colleges plus partner enterprises), the "three plus two" (vocational high schools plus two-year colleges), "three-two-two" (vocational high schools plus two-year colleges plus two-year vocational institutes), or "three plus four" (vocational high schools plus four-year vocational institutes).

Such a curriculum system in accord with the vertical continuation principle helps a student, after receiving a complete professional training, find a job in the partnered companies.

In a related development, the MOE plans to revise the Education Personnel Employment Law by relaxing restrictions on including professors' temporary employment in industry in the computation of their years of service. This would enable them to undertake further research.

The MOE will also grant more aid to the 40 technology research centers under the Technological and Vocational Education System.

"Besides the tasks of research and teaching, the universities should also be engaged in social service," said Tu. "Their graduates should contribute talents and skills to industry."

"This means that the universities should be managed with a spirit of entrepreneurship; the programs of the institutes and colleges should be designed based on the principle of pragmatism."