Two institutions persist in maintaining their defense-oriented academic endeavors.
In a bid to address technical issues facing several institutions within the defense ministry's program, National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) has emerged as a potential solution. The university's national defense undergraduate program, launched in the 2020-2021 academic year, aims to foster a new generation of military officials through cooperation with the Ministry of National Defense and research and development institutions.
The program recruits high-school graduates, offering them a complete waiver of tuition and fees, NT$5,000 per semester for books and supplies, and a NT$12,000 monthly stipend. Currently, NTHU has eight students enrolled in the program, studying electrical engineering, computer science, and life sciences.
The ministry has recruited 213 graduates from the undergraduate program as second lieutenants, obligating them to serve for at least five years. However, the program faced challenges, leading to its cancellation last year. An expert suggested that the emphasis on lineage and ethics might have been a factor.
Despite the challenges, the Ministry of Education's Department of Higher Education is willing to work with the defense ministry to resume the undergraduate program. The Ministry of National Defense has decided to continue the national defense undergraduate programs at NTHU and National Cheng Kung University, despite low enrollment rates.
Students in these programs are required to undergo military training every Saturday, and during summer and winter vacations. The training is designed to prepare them for diverse research and leadership roles in the armed forces. According to an anonymous expert, the program helps to cultivate top talent for the military, boosting the defense industry's autonomous capabilities.
The program attracts high-quality students to top universities, providing opportunities for them to contribute to national security research and development institutions. Chin Han-chung from Chung Yuan Christian University stated that students who graduate from top universities and are "air dropped" into the military do not find it easy to adapt.
Defense and education officials should seek solutions through cross-departmental meetings, according to former Shih Chien University president Chen Chen-kui. National Cheng Kung University's academic affairs dean, Shen Sheng-chih, emphasized the responsibility of national universities to cultivate defense talent. NTHU's academic affairs dean, Wu Yung-hsien, stated that the program would build a supply chain of talent for defense technology.
Besides National Tsing Hua University and National Cheng Kung University, other universities typically involved in Taiwan's national defense educational programs include National Defense University and National Taiwan University of Science and Technology. However, specific information regarding the other universities involved in the canceled program was not found in the search results provided.
Recruiting university students for the ROTC is more difficult than it was for the canceled program, because they could quit if they found they could not adapt to the requirements. According to Chin Han-chung, this makes it crucial for the program to address the challenges faced by students and ensure their successful integration into the military.
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