Introduction
General education should play a central role in higher education. However, due to an overwhelming focus on professional skill training in vocational education the significance of general education has long been overlooked in Taiwan. With the drastic changes in social status and the rapid expansion of higher education during the past decade, the university’s educational goal has shifted from making elites to cultivating social citizens. Several surveys have also indicated that Taiwanese college students generally show a lack of ability in expressing themselves, making plans, and communicating with others.
Furthermore, several individual characteristics such as an acceptable work ethic, a stable personality under pressure, communications and self expression, a flexible desire to engage in and exhibit extracurricular learning, becoming proficient in professional knowledge and skills, and engagement in cooperative group work. These attributes are the main concerns of business managers when they recruit employees and they are closely related to general education. For responding to social trends and promoting students’ soft power, the previous General Education Center was upgraded to the College of General Education in academic year 2010. The Fundamental Education Center and The Liberal Education Center are two affiliated units of the College that work with all departments to incubate responsible and reflective citizens who are equipped with scientific brains and human minds. Their respective missions are as follows:
Fundamental Education Center: The goals of this center are establishing life-long learning foundations for students through developing their linguistic literacy, enriching their concepts of law and order, broadening their historical vision, improving their appreciation of music and, and strengthening their mathematical skills to add thinking and abilities to their applications.
Liberal Education Center: On the basis of fundamental education, this center not only offers varieties of liberal courses (including humanities and arts, social sciences, natural sciences and technology, and interdisciplinary subjects), but also requires students to experience labor services in person in an effort to motivate their devotion to service.
College of General Education: Organizes school-wide general education courses and activities by integrating fundamental and liberal courses. Furthermore, in remembrance of the co-founders of Chin-Yi, the college establishes Ming-Sho Academy, a boarding program at the campus, to exalt a spirit of modern artisan as well as honor the founders for their educational ideal.
Furthermore, several individual characteristics such as an acceptable work ethic, a stable personality under pressure, communications and self expression, a flexible desire to engage in and exhibit extracurricular learning, becoming proficient in professional knowledge and skills, and engagement in cooperative group work. These attributes are the main concerns of business managers when they recruit employees and they are closely related to general education. For responding to social trends and promoting students’ soft power, the previous General Education Center was upgraded to the College of General Education in academic year 2010. The Fundamental Education Center and The Liberal Education Center are two affiliated units of the College that work with all departments to incubate responsible and reflective citizens who are equipped with scientific brains and human minds. Their respective missions are as follows:
Fundamental Education Center: The goals of this center are establishing life-long learning foundations for students through developing their linguistic literacy, enriching their concepts of law and order, broadening their historical vision, improving their appreciation of music and, and strengthening their mathematical skills to add thinking and abilities to their applications.
Liberal Education Center: On the basis of fundamental education, this center not only offers varieties of liberal courses (including humanities and arts, social sciences, natural sciences and technology, and interdisciplinary subjects), but also requires students to experience labor services in person in an effort to motivate their devotion to service.
College of General Education: Organizes school-wide general education courses and activities by integrating fundamental and liberal courses. Furthermore, in remembrance of the co-founders of Chin-Yi, the college establishes Ming-Sho Academy, a boarding program at the campus, to exalt a spirit of modern artisan as well as honor the founders for their educational ideal.