The Tour of Our College Staff to Hsinchu Science and Technology
District, Chiao Tung University and Tsing Hua University in Taiwan
On the 26th and 27th of April, 2001, our College sent a group of
scholars to visit the leading universities and the technology companies
at the Hsinchu Science and Technology District in Taiwan. The purposes
of this trip are a) to strengthen the relationship of our College
and the universities and the technological companies there; b) to
have a close-up observation of the development of technology in
Taiwan; and c) to gain a first-hand understanding of the education
on technology, the research and development of their universities.
We would like to gain some insights and direction of how and where
our College should go in terms of education on technology by studying
their examples.
Chiao Tung University
| Our
group visited Chiao Tung University in the first day. This is
one of the leading universities in Taiwan, and is responsible
mainly for training scientific and technological experts there.
We were greeted by Professor Chi Sheng, the Vice-President,
and Professor Sun Chung Chai of the Department of Information
Technology. During a working lunch with the two professors,
we¡¦ve learnt that Chiao Tung University places
a great deal of emphasis on research and consultancy. Almost
all teaching staffs at the IT Department are involved in one
way or another with the technology companies at the Hsinchu
Science and Technology District, providing consultation to the
companies. This not only brings them a name in the industry,
it also serves as a revenue center for the University. The area
of research at the University is pretty extensive, but mostly
on applications. Dr Kong, our Dean of Studies, exchanged views
with Professor Sun in the meeting about future directions of
education on technology. Both agreed that our two institutions
should work closer in academic exchanges. |
 |
| At
Chia Tung University with Professor Chi Sheng, the Vice-President |
| After
lunch, Professor Tsai Wen Shian, their Dean of Studies; and
Professor Chang Hsin Li, Dean of General Affairs, joined us
in a discussion session and showed us a screening of the history
and development of their University. Professor Chang filled
us in with some facts and figures: in their Faculty of Electrical
Engineering and Information Technology, they have over 2,000
students, and those studying for their Masters and Doctorals
occupy half of the student population. The graduates go to work
mostly for the technology companies in the Hsinchu Science and
Technology District nearby. On average, there are about six
job offers waiting for each of their graduates, so the employment
prospect for their students is very good.
The session was followed by our President introducing briefly
the present situation of our College. Professor Lo Wai Lun
supplemented with information on our Computer Science Department.
We have about 200 students in the Department, with the curriculum
placing importance on both theory and practice. Most graduating
projects of the year-four students are involved with developing
database systems for companies in Hong Kong. Our College encourages
students to participate in internships with companies, gaining
practical experience and upgrading their employment compatibility
on one hand, and reinforcing our relationship with the industry
on the other. At this point, Professor Tsai of Chiao Tung
University admitted that they have similar arrangements, only
that their prospective companies are mostly technology concerns,
and that the intern students are mostly graduate students.
After the discussion session, our group was invited to visit
some of Chiao Tung University¡¦s research projects,
including ¡§Multi-media Computing Assimilation,¡¨
¡§Assimilation of Chinese Ink Painting,¡¨
¡§Auto-bicycling by Artificial Intelligence,¡¨
¡§Research on Computer Network,¡¨ etc.
|
 |
| At
the Department of Computer Engineering of Chiao Tung University
with the Head of Department, Prof. Chen. |
|
 |
| The
large scale scanner and Intelligent Automobile at the Department
of Computer Science, Chaio Tung University. |
Visit to the Industry at Hsinchu Science
and Technology District
| In the
afternoon, we went just a few blocks to the Hsinchu Science
and Technology District and visited Tai Yang Technology Co Ltd
there. Tai Yang is a company specializing in providing high
frequency wireless communication wares. Their products are sold
all over the world. We were greeted by Mr Hsieh Chi Chia, the
Deputy Chairman. The Marketing Manager then introduced our group
to Tai Yang¡¦s development and the sales condition
of their products. We had a tour of their factory, production
lines and quality control departments before calling it a day.
|
 |
 |
| |
At Tai Yang Technology |
Visit to the Industry at Hsinchu Science
and Technology District
| The next day (27th April), our group visited
National Tsing Hua University. We were received by Professor
Chan Hsin Hsung, the Vice- President, and were then shown of
a tape about the history and development of Tsing Hua. Afterwards,
Professor Chan briefed us on the current conditions of the University,
which is divided into Faculties of Science, Technology, Atomic
Science, Humanities, Life Science, Electrical Engineering and
Information Technology, and Technology Management. Recently,
Tsing Hua set up a new Management Faculty, aiming at training
management professionals for Taiwanese businesses. The funding
of the University comes from the Taiwan government, as well
as from enterprises in Taiwan and charity organizations in the
United States. Because the Hsinchu Science and Technology District
is nearby, the University also enjoys an ongoing co-operative
relations with the technology companies there. As a result,
the employment prospect of their graduates is also very good.
After the briefing, our President introduced our College
to the host. We were then invited to tour their Department
of Information Engineering. Professor Tang Chuan Yi, Head
of the Department, told us that they have twenty-seven staffs
in the Department, which places a great deal of emphasis on
research. All academic staffs must publish their research
works periodically. In the year 2000, their twenty-seven staffs
published a total of over fifty research papers. The research
of their Department is among the leaders in Taiwan universities,
and their Department has also received numerous awards of
research accomplishment in Taiwan.
|
Xuan Chuan University
| Afterwards,
our group went over to Xuan Chuan University. President He Fu
Tien and Professor Li Meng Chuan welcomed us. Our College has
always had a close relationship with Xuan Chuan University.
Several current professors at Xuan Chuan have taught at our
College. This trip is like a visit of alumni and old friends.
After exchanging information on recent developments, President
He and Professor Li took us to a tour of the university campus
and the library. Xuan Chuna University is an institution subsidized
with funding from Buddhist organizations. There are often religious
activities on campus. The campus is built with a taste of Buddhism.
In addition to programs on the humanities, the University also
has a Department of Management Information Systems and several
computer laboratories. After the tour, our President exchanged
momentoes with President He and concluded our visit to the University. |
 |
Hsinchu Science and Technology District
| The last item on our
agenda of this tour was another visit of the Hsinchu Science
and Technology District. This time, we went to the Management
Office and were received by the Manager Mr Zhu Da Sui, who started
out by introducing us the history, recent development and the
future planning of the District. Mr Zhu also explained to us
in great detail the transportation provisions, the research
environment, the industry development of the District, as well
as the government¡¦s infrastructure construction
in the District. According to Mr Zhu, the Hsinchu Science and
Technology District is divided into six sections, which are:
integrated circuit computer and peripherals Communication, optic
fiber, precision machinery biotechnology.
Every year, the Taiwan government would set up product awards
as a show of support and encouragement to the industry. The
Taiwan government is also actively luring overseas specialists
to the Hsinchu Science and Technology District. All facilities
in the District are planned and built with the intent of attracting
local and foreign experts and technological concerns to work
and grow there. The export amount of the products in the District
is quite substantial, among the top five in the world. This
of course earns for the Taiwan government considerable foreign
exchange.
After this rather detailed account of the District, Mr Zhu
then took our group to a tour of the products showroom, and
introduced to us various awarded products there. The tour
concluded our visit to the Management Office, and we stopped
over at another technology company in the District.
Frequency Technology Company Ltd is a company that produces
quartz crystal vibrators and chips for surface sound wave
machines. Dr Hou Pong Wai, the Director of the Company, acted
as our tour guide. Dr Hou led us first to a round of the District,
then to a tour of his company, and explained in detail the
various products of his company, and the general condition
of how his company participated in the international conferences
on chips. This basically winded up our trip there.
Overall, this Taiwan trip has been a success. It reinforces
our College¡¦s relationship with some leading
universities there; it also adds to our understanding of the
technology companies, the research activities at the universities,
their design of curricula, and the development of technology
in Taiwan. It certainly provides valuable insights as to how
our College should develop in the future.
|
 |
 |
At Frequency Technology
Company
|
 BACK
created by ca
August 16, 2002 11:08 AM
|
