| Tamkang University | |
|---|---|
| 淡江大學 | |
| Motto | 樸實剛毅(Chinese)[1] |
| Motto in English | Simplicity Truthfulness Firmness Perseverance[1] |
| Established | 1950[2] |
| Type | Private |
| President | Flora Chia-I Chang (張家宜)[3] |
| Vice-president | Gwo-hsing Yu (虞國興) for Academic Affairs Po-yuan Kao (高柏園) for Administrative Affairs Wan-chin Tai (戴萬欽) for International Affairs[4] |
| Academic staff | 1,520 (2011)[5] |
| Admin. staff | 701 (2011)[6] |
| Students | 27,491 (2011) (exclude Foreign and Overseas Chinese Student)[7] |
| Undergraduates | 23,274 (2011)[7] |
| Postgraduates | 3,666 (2011)[7] |
| Doctoral students | 551 (2011)[7] |
| Other students | 267 (Foreign Student) (2011) 660 (Overseas Chinese Student) (2011)[7] |
| Location | Tamsui, New Taipei, Taiwan |
| Campus | Urban,[8] 21.62 ha (53.4 acres) (Tamsui campus) 0.32 ha (0.79 acre) (Taipei campus) 40.45 ha (100.0 acres) (Lanyang campus)[9] |
| Former names | Tamkang Junior College of English[2] |
| Website | tku.edu.tw |
Tamkang University (traditional Chinese: 淡江大學; simplified Chinese: 淡江大学; Tongyong Pinyin: Dànjiang Dàsyúe; Hanyu Pinyin: Dànjiang Dàxúe; Wade–Giles: Tàn-chiang Ta-hsüeh; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tām-kang-tōa-ha̍k; abbreviated as TKU) is a private Taiwanese university located in Tamsui District, New Taipei City. Founded in 1950 as a junior college of English literature, the college has expanded into a full university with 11 colleges today.
Tamkang University is well known throughout Taiwan and is usually recognized as the oldest and best private university in the country. It is ranked 9th by the Ministry of Education of Taiwan and in Asia's top 50th. Around 29,000 students of fifty nationalities form the diverse student body of the school. The school also has partnerships with over a hundred Universities in 28 countries (known as "Sister Universities").
This university is noted for its scenic campus.
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Established in 1950 as a Junior College of English, Tamkang first offered a two-year program and then a three-year program. It was not until 1958 that Tamkang, after it was reinstituted as a College of Arts and Sciences, awarded bachelor's degrees to its graduates. In 1980, Tamkang was elevated to the university status.
After more than fifty years of growth, Tamkang University has developed from a Junior College of English into a comprehensive university. Today, Tamkang University has 11 colleges comprising 47 departments and divisions, 50 master's programs, and 17 doctoral programs. The total student enrollment is 28,075, and the number of faculty and staff members is 2,288. Now, Tamkang University has four campuses: the Tamsui Campus, the Taipei Campus, the Lanyang Campus, and the Cyber Campus. The third campus, the Lanyang Campus in I-lan County, has been recruiting new students since 2005. Also, by using information technology and the Internet, Tamkang University's Cyber Campus has set up various learning environments; not only has Tamkang University exchanged courses with those of other universities in Taiwan, it has also teamed up with universities abroad to have online cooperation programs. Meanwhile, world renowned professors are invited to teach online at Tamkang's Cyber Campus.
During its development, Tamkang University has been undergoing a series of major innovations both academically and administratively: from a "Quantity Equals Quality" approach to one emphasizing "Quality over Quantity", through the policy of "Globalization, Information-oriented Education and Future-oriented Education, "and on to the "Tamkang's Third Wave", Total Quality Management, and the "S" Curve. Currently, Tamkang University is on to its "Fourth Wave" to fulfill not only its role as a regional comprehensive research university, but also its final goal of "pursuing excellence and proceeding to a high quality comprehensive university." Since its inception as a university, Tamkang University has had six scholar-educators serving as President: Clement C. P. Chang, Yea-hong Chen, Louis R. Chow, Yun-shan Lin, Horng-jinh Chang, and the current President Flora C.I. Chang, who has assumed presidency since August 1, 2004. Among them, Dr. Clement C. P. Chang, also Founder of this University, has made the greatest contribution to Tamkang University. He is currently re-engineering the "Second Sigmoid Curve", leading the university in the new millennium to become a global "academic kingdom."
House of Quality: The Management Objectives of Tamkang University
Cultivating the Unique Features of Tamkang Organizational Models
From the "Spirit of Overcoming Difficulties" of Tamkang University's motto of "Simplicity, Truthfulness, Firmness, and Perseverance" to the phrase "like adding wings to a tiger (flying tiger) " of the Five-tiger Hill－this is the course of Tamkang development and growth as well as the course of instruction of Tamkang students. Tamkang call these courses the "waves" as follows:
The triple objectives of Globalization, Information-oriented Education, and Future-oriented Education are the foundation of Tamkang University's continuous management and development. Globalization is the spatial pattern of the future; Information-oriented Education, the life pattern of the future; and Future-oriented Education, the time frame of the future. As for the triple objectives, they are the time and spatial integration of Tamkang collective life system.
Globalization is based on the concept that mankind shares one globe. Moreover, through languages, words, and cultures, human beings communicate with one another to promote mutual understanding and create the concept of a global living community because mankind currently has only one earth! Under this concept, Tamkang establish the thinking mode that all Tamkangians must have a global mind, global soul and global action.
To construct the best information network and, at the same time, to actively complement the construction of hi-net so that via the network, Tamkang university is able to connect with the inter-collegiate network throughout the nation and with the international academic network throughout the world, to assist the university in instruction and research, and, more importantly, to strengthen human intelligence so as to cultivate Tamkangians to have the elements of "information with human nature" and "concern about humanity."
Based on "integrated sciences-oriented" and "future scenario-oriented" approaches, Tamkang must establish the future "vision" of Tamkang University. The 21st century is the age of continuity and discontinuity; so Tamkangians have to understand the future, adapt to the future and, furthermore, create the best created future.
At the present time, Tamkang University has accomplished the framework of "One Great University, Four Distinct Campuses." Under the management of "Market Model," academic or course arrangements must be flexible, employing as its nucleus the four strategies: "differentiation," "individualization," "focus," and "globalization."
The four campuses each have their own specific functions of research, instruction, and services respectively. Furthermore, a cross-disciplinary or multi-disciplinary curriculum will be designed; especially at the cyber campus, a more well-rounded curriculum will be designed according to the demands of students, who have different backgrounds. And the teaching resources of the four campuses can still be integrated under one system, focusing on either several academic fields that have special features or research centers, so as to uplift the competitive capability of Tamkang university as a whole, and, moreover, to accomplish its goal of globalization by utilizing educational technology.
An organizational culture is usually represented by words, language, poetry, colors, music, architecture, sculpture, arts or symbolic constructs. Architecturally, Tamkang university emphasizes two special features: "a combination of the East and the West" as well as "the classical combined with the modern."
Such words as "Simplicity, Truthfulness, Firmness, and Perseverance" appearing in the university anthem are also the university motto. "Simplicity" means "unassuming plainness, sincerity and honesty"; "Truthfulness" represents "vigorous implementation, law abiding and thoroughness"; "Firmness" symbolizes "the blending of toughness, with uprightness and impartiality and gentleness"; and "Perseverance" signifies "courageous determination, with virtue and liberality of mind." The motto is Tamkangians’ life objective, their fountain of life, and the fountainhead of their living water, flowing eternally.
A school emblem represents the school. The Tamkang University emblem was designed by a well-known artist named Lan Yin-ting. It is in the form of a giant bell, which contemporaries used to call a clock. The two Chinese characters 「鐘鈴」"Chung Ling," which literally means "clock and bell," are the same as「鐘鈴」, the child name of Clement C.P. Chang late father Chang Ming alias Ching-sheng. Tamkang use a bell (鐘鈴) as university emblem, on the one hand, to commemorate his father and, on the other hand, to follow the ancient tradition of using a big bell for the purpose of education (see "Pa Yu" in Lun Yu). And according to the record, people in former times regarded Confucius as a master (木鐸) . On top of the bell are two wings, symbolizing the spirit of "spreading the wings and flying high; soaring instantly and progressing swiftly." Engraved on the bell are two Chinese characters "Tam Kang."
The Overcoming Difficulty Slope is a steep slope made up of 132 stone steps built in 1953. Symbolizing "difficulties and hardships," the slope was also the only path leading to Tamkang Campus in its initiation period, not only representing the school's founding spirit of developing the mountain and the forest, but also testing whether students could overcome difficulties; carry out "Simplicity, Truthfulness, Firmness, and Perseverance"; and testify to the fact that only with vigorous and strong body can we strive upward.
Built in 1954, the Chinese palace-style classroom buildings are architecturally modeled after Chinese classical palaces with green roof and red walls. They are the starting point of the permanent classroom buildings on the Tamkang Campus.
Situated in the roundabout at the top end of the Lantern Road is the work by a well-known contemporary sculptor Wang Shiu-chi. The dolphins were chosen as an auspicious symbol of Tamkang university as the result of a poll of students from all campuses. Dolphins are the most agile and smartest mammals in the ocean; they are endowed with surprising innate ability to swim across the four seas. Engraved on the pillar-base of the milestone are four lines of phrases that Clement C.P. Chang often quote to encourage Tamkangians: "Let's establish a firm foothold at Tamkang University/ Hold the whole world in view/ Grasp the latest information/ and create a bright future."
Situated in the center of the vast compound before the Ching-sheng Memorial Hall is the University Commons, built in 1986 and designed by Tamkang alumnus－Architect Lin Kuei-jung. The University Commons are in the form of four tablets of bamboo encircling one another, symbolizing books in ancient times, so they are called tzu chien (竹卷 meaning "books and scrolls"). Seen from above, the University Commons look like the pivot of a motor, turning unceasingly.
"The Five-tiger Hill" is the permanent location of Tamsui Campus. The range of Mt. Tatuen wriggles downward up to the Hu-tou Shan (Mt. Tiger's Head), which separates into five ridges. Tamkang university is situated on the fourth ridge. The bronze sculpture depicting five tigers embracing one another is the work by Wang Shiu-chi and stands in front of the Shao-mo Memorial Gymnasium. Representing Tamkangians’ "Hu Hu Shen Fong" (meaning "vitality"), vigorous body, and the spirit of bravery. On the pillar-base of the monument is Clement C.P. Chang essay: "The Five-tiger Hill: A Sketch."
The Tamkang Golden Eagle Award for the "Tamkang Elites" was initiated in 1987. As the highest honor of the university, the Award is set up to glorify Tamkangians that make a great contribution to the country, render useful services to the society, create welfare for humankind, and give feedback to the alma mater. The Award is in the form of a golden eagle spreading its wings, symbolizing Tamkangians, like the flying eagle in the sky, majestically overlooking the earth below.
The sculpture portraying the Hsuehshan Tunnel of the Taipei-Ilan Expressway was presented to Clement C.P.Chang in 1990 by "The Association for Promoting Taipei-Ilan Rapid Transit System" and was designed by the famous Designer Zerman Hu and Lanyang Master-Sculptor Yu Yu Yang (Yang Ying-feng) under the commission of "The Ilan Association, Taipei Chapter. " The original sculpture was made from gilded stainless steel in the form of an ancient Chinese hieroglyph "山" (shan meaning "mountain"). In this artwork, the Hsuehshan Tunnel is located at the lower corner on the left of the shan, while at the upper corner on the left is the golden sun, just rising from the Pacific Ocean and shining over Lanyang. To celebrate the completion of the Lanyang Campus and the opening for public use of the Taipei-Ilan Expressway, Tamkang entrusted Arthur Yang, the son of Master Yu Yu Yang, with a task to enlarge the original sculpture into a stainless artwork of 241 cm high and 270 cm wide. The giant sculpture is installed on the lawn before the "Clement Chang International Conference Hall" on Lanyang Campus, so that the Lanyang residents, the faculty and the students of Tamkang University, as well as visitors from home or overseas may appreciate the artwork and, at the same time, pay respect to the unsung heroes who sacrificed in the course of building the Expressway. It also symbolizes that Tamkang University which begins at Tamsui is connected in heart with Lanyang through the Hsuehshan Tunnel.
Requirements for admission to Tamkang University vary with the nature of the program and the applicants. However, the university only admits applicants who give sufficient evidence of their qualifications through previous education, academic aptitudes, interests, and character.
Local Chinese applicants with permanent domiciles in Taiwan will be admitted after undergoing open screening procedures including applicants' qualifications and pertinent examinations, and applicants should meet either one of the following requirements: a) high school graduate or equivalent to high-school graduate, b) 3-year or 5-year junior college graduate. Foreign nationals of Chinese descendants may apply for admission via the Taiwan overseas representative office in their country of residence.
International students may apply between February 1 and May 15 for admission directly to the Admissions Section of the Office of Academic Affairs of this university, or via the nearest Taiwan overseas representative office. Applicants must be senior high school graduates from within the Republic of China or from friendly countries, and must be fluent in Mandarin Chinese. Application forms are available upon request at the Office of Academic Affairs this university.
There are limited opportunities to transfer into the undergraduate programs of this university. Both students with a domicile in Taiwan and Overseas Chinese students who have completed at least one year of study at another recognized college or university, or who have graduated from a three- or five-year junior college, are eligible to apply for transfer into programs related to their previous training. Admission is highly selective and based on scores earned in the Entrance Examination for Transfer Students held in each July at this university. International students may apply directly to the Admissions or Registration Section of the Office of Academic Affairs of this university for transfer to a department related to their previous training. All freshmen of this university after studying for a semester may file an application for transfer to other departments if they find their original major does not suit their purpose. Admission is very competitive; only those who pass the transfer exam with high scores can be admitted.
Tamkang graduate programs, most of which are affiliated with their respective Departments, offer both doctoral degrees and master's degrees in various fields. Tamkang currently offers seventeen Ph.D. degrees in Chinese, English, Chemistry, Physics, American Studies, Management Sciences and Decision Making, Computer Science and Information Engineering, Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, Mathematics, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Banking and Finance, Industrial Economics, Mechanical and Electro-Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and European Studies. The master's programs, however, are available in forty nine fields, including liberal arts, science, engineering, business, management, education, English, and Chinese literature.
Local and Overseas Chinese Students Locals and overseas Chinese who apply for admission to graduate programs leading to both master's and doctoral degrees should sit for written and oral examinations. Only those who pass the examinations with higher scores are admitted. The written examination usually includes English, Chinese, and other subjects related to each specified program.
Applicants must be graduates from an accredited university in a field related to the graduate program concerned or must have completed coursework demonstrating knowledge equivalent to a bachelor's degree in a related field. Applicants who are graduates from three-year junior colleges should have self-studied or have been employed in a position related to their respective studies for at least two years. Applicants who are graduates from two-year or five-year junior colleges must have self-studied or been employed in a position related to their specific studies for at least three years.
Applicants must hold master's degrees in related fields. Applicants must submit a master's thesis and other related publications. M.A. candidates may directly proceed to the doctoral programs should they meet the following conditions: a) They have completed one-year or two-year of coursework with excellent standing and their academic records must be rated in the top 30% of their respective classes. b) They must be approved by the departmental/graduate institute meeting and, finally by the university president. Bachelor's degree holders who are graduates from departments requiring six years to graduate can apply if they have received training in their specialized fields for over two years and can submit a thesis equivalent to a master's thesis.
International students who intend to pursue graduate studies leading to a master's degree or a doctoral degree must hold a bachelor's degree or a master's degree respectively. Applicants must file an application directly to the Office of Academic Affairs.
Students from Tamkang's sister universities who wish to study at Tamkang University as exchange students should apply directly to the Office of International Studies of their respective university.
Tamkang has more than 220,000 alumni residing all over the world, contributing in all walks of life with outstanding performance. Hence, Tamkang's alumni are voted the most popular in the business industry for ten consecutive years. In order to present current developments and future visions of the alma mater to alumni, each year Tamkang holds the "Feast of Spring" in March, inviting local and overseas alumni back to Tamkang to revisit the garden campus and its advanced instructional facilities, attend departmental forum, and share with current students their experiences on further education or employment. Therefore, by presenting growths and improvements, Tamkang hopes to receive further support and acknowledgement from alumni. Moreover, with the aims of creating a higher academic reputation and becoming a world-class university, supports, acknowledgement, as well as donations and gifts are all important foundations for Tamkang's future developments.
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