CHANGING LANDSCAPE: After 20 years in the making, the merged university has finally launched with nearly 20,000 students and 1,400 lecturers across 19 colleges
Lin Chi-hung (林奇宏) yesterday assumed office as the president of the newly formed National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, promising to boost the school’s ranking and international participation on its inauguration.
Lin, who has a doctorate in biology from Yale University, took the post after receiving a certificate of appointment in a ceremony presided over by Minister of Education Pan Wen-chung (潘文忠), along with several incoming presidents of other universities.
Plaque-unveiling ceremonies for the university, a merger of National Yang-Ming University in Taipei and National Chiao Tung University in Hsinchu, were held in Taipei and Hsinchu respectively.
Officials including Vice President William Lai, center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University president Lin Chi-hung, center left, and former vice president Chen Chien-jen, center right, attend a naming ceremony for the new university at the school’s Taipei campus yesterday. Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
Describing the merger as a milestone in Taiwan’s higher education, Lin said he hopes that students and faculty of the two universities support the newly formed institution.
Lin said he plans to unveil a three-year blueprint within 100 days that envisions a consensus-based development project for the university over the next 10 years, focusing on improving the school’s ranking in different aspects and boosting cooperation with top peers worldwide, while enhancing student exchange programs.
After 20 years of effort, the Executive Yuan and the ministry in August last year approved the merger plan of the two top-ranking universities, which have 1,400 lecturers and nearly 20,000 students across nine campuses, totaling 19 hectares.
In the initial stage, the university would have 19 colleges, six newly established research centers and a hospital, and would operate 14 daily shuttle buses between Taipei and Hsinchu.
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