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Can I get a job at a university?
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romanworld



Joined: 27 May 2008
Posts: 388

PostPosted: Wed Aug 10, 2011 6:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

forest1979 wrote:
Taiwan lacks scholars that are capable of conducting in-depth research on fundamental science and interdisciplinary science...

nothing to do with the lesser budgets of Taiwanese universities in comparison to American ones?

It's easy for a Harvard prof to criticise. When you're at the very top there's only one direction to look...and thats down upon the rest of the world.


You seem quite the apologist for Taiwan, its higher education sector and its universities. Are you working in the system now or have you worked in it in the past? If so, an insider's view of the "facts" would be invaluable.
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forest1979



Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 507
Location: SE Asia

PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 5:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Apologist? That makes me laugh.

I am indicating that whilst everyone can have a perspective on TW unis, or research, but the narrative isn't quite so black and white.

Where am I based? I am in TW on a fellowship, having worked here for numerous years, and recently been off the island (for a short while). Am back at least for a year.
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forest1979



Joined: 10 Jun 2007
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Location: SE Asia

PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 5:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Romanworld - Are you in TW?
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romanworld



Joined: 27 May 2008
Posts: 388

PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 7:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

forest1979 wrote:
Romanworld - Are you in TW?


Is that a bad joke? After all that's been written here, why on earth would anyone with any academic credentials wish to work at a Taiwanese university. Really, Forest, you make me laugh sometimes.
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forest1979



Joined: 10 Jun 2007
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Location: SE Asia

PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 2:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Humor aside, what credentials do you have?

And where do you now practice them?
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romanworld



Joined: 27 May 2008
Posts: 388

PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 4:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

forest1979 wrote:
Humor aside, what credentials do you have?

And where do you now practice them?


Do you really think I'm gonna post my personal info on a public forum. Don't you recall the forum rules: Address the topic and not the poster?

Can we please stick to the "facts" about the sorry state of higher education in Taiwan. If you work there, you should be able to contribute generously to this debate. Surely as an apologist for the system, you must have a lot to defend?
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forest1979



Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 507
Location: SE Asia

PostPosted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 3:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Apologist for the system? I'm not even going to respond to that comment.

As for the 'facts' I am sure users of this forum would welcome them, as do I. However it is easy for contributors to slip into subjectivity given the complex nature of higher education in Taiwan, and maybe their desire too to mask their own injustices with the system through their comments on 'facts' regarding universities in Taiwan. Some even post from a distance because their vocational credentials are best served off the island.

Personally I feel this thread has more than run its course.
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romanworld



Joined: 27 May 2008
Posts: 388

PostPosted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 4:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

forest1979 wrote:
Personally I feel this thread has more than run its course.


On the contrary, this thread continues to be viewed by many because it effects many. It effects foreigners who are already teaching at higher education institutions in Taiwan and it effects those who are deciding whether or not to uproot and either leave or come to Taiwan. These are big questions for many people. The lack of transparency at Taiwanese universities and the fact that foreign teachers are working in a Chinese-speaking environment means that forums like this are a good source of information for those who are confused and at sea. To abandon this thread as you suggest would deprive teachers of the valuable info they need to make the right choices in these very precarious times.
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romanworld



Joined: 27 May 2008
Posts: 388

PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 9:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Much has been said in this thread about the falling birth rate in Taiwan and its impact on higher education. Now it's official: Taiwan has the lowest birth rate in the world. This startling fact can be read here at the BBC:

Taiwan's total fertility rate - the average number of children women have during their childbearing years - dropped to 0.9 last year, down from 1.03 the previous year.

That gives Taiwan the lowest fertility rate in the world, the statistics show.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-14525525
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adogadie



Joined: 18 Sep 2010
Posts: 82
Location: Taiwan

PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 11:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am not doubting the datum, but there seems to be a lot of big families where I live out here in the country side, where farmers have married Vietnam brides.

Also, I heard somewhere that 5000 Taiwanese were born in America, and then returned with US passbooks. I have a couple little ones in my class that are actually American. Just wondering if this may impact the datum a bit. Just figuring that's all.... Confused
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romanworld



Joined: 27 May 2008
Posts: 388

PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 4:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

adogadie wrote:
I am not doubting the datum, but there seems to be a lot of big families where I live out here in the country side, where farmers have married Vietnam brides.


Not sure if that's a representative sample?

The falling birth rate makes sense. For years, Chinese women lived under the iron fist of Taiwanese men. When the country became a 'democracy' back in 1987, women became liberated too. Since then they've wanted to realise their own dreams, like getting a good job, earning lots of money, owning their own coffee shop, studying overseas, or just having a boyfriend without the yolk of marriage wrapped around their necks. This is good for the women of Taiwan but bad for higher education because women are no longing giving birth to little students. What a conundrum Taiwan finds itself in these days.
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adogadie



Joined: 18 Sep 2010
Posts: 82
Location: Taiwan

PostPosted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 4:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

romanworld wrote:
adogadie wrote:
I am not doubting the datum, but there seems to be a lot of big families where I live out here in the country side, where farmers have married Vietnam brides.


Not sure if that's a representative sample?

The falling birth rate makes sense. For years, Chinese women lived under the iron fist of Taiwanese men. When the country became a 'democracy' back in 1987, women became liberated too. Since then they've wanted to realise their own dreams, like getting a good job, earning lots of money, owning their own coffee shop, studying overseas, or just having a boyfriend without the yolk of marriage wrapped around their necks. This is good for the women of Taiwan but bad for higher education because women are no longing giving birth to little students. What a conundrum Taiwan finds itself in these days.


I totally agree with you. Five thousand hardly counts for even a fraction of a standard deviation when compared with Twenty-three million people.

Two Taiwanese (CTs) teachers at my school will be going to visit Korea in October for a whole week. I could only imagine the fun that they are going to have together. One is a lesbian, but not sure about the other one. But I am jealous that I can't go, and I will miss them for sure; since I will be feeling quite alone. Sad
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romanworld



Joined: 27 May 2008
Posts: 388

PostPosted: Sun Aug 28, 2011 4:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

forest1979 wrote:
Never head anything of people leaving due to not attending meetings. Usually the ones who were pushed out had other issues. I know one was the centre of a blackmail allegation, another used to be drunk.


Ever since forest posted this post about "a blackmail allegation" my interest has been piqued. Recently I heard that the teacher in question handed out copies of an email that he received to all the other ELC staff in order to ensure that witnesses had seen the document packed full of lies and false allegations. I'm now trying to get a copy of this document. I've heard that the teacher in question did take the email to the President of Ming Chuan University, but the President asked the Vice President to look into the matter. The VP suggested that the email might have been spam, but the teacher said that it was impossible because it contained so much personal information. Thereafter the teacher suggested reporting the said email to the police in case there were legal repercussions later on. Apparently, although this isn't quite clear, the police came to MCU to stake out the ELC because the teacher had been asked in the email to drop off $NT100,000 in the staff room refrigerator in order to clear his name. This is all the information I have at the moment.
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romanworld



Joined: 27 May 2008
Posts: 388

PostPosted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 9:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The demographic news in Taiwan just keeps going from bad to worse:

Taiwan's declining birth rate is becoming glaringly evident, as 11 elementary schools around the island enlisted only one first-grader each this academic year, which began on Aug 30.

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?cid=1104&MainCatID=&id=20110901000067

The picture of the solitary teacher teaching the solitary first-grader leaves one feeling a little sad. Nevertheless, at least this teacher has one pupil, which means she can hang on to her job for another year . . . if the Headmaster deems it sustainable, that is?
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romanworld



Joined: 27 May 2008
Posts: 388

PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2011 3:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

With all this bad news about higher education in Taiwan, is it any wonder that "nearly 50 percent of teachers in Taipei City are on the verge of depression"?

http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2011/09/29/318205/Almost-half.htm
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