Four of Taiwan’s top-ranked public universities are under investigation emerged the proportion of English taught courses in each average just 8% despite large government investments into international programs and the hiring of foreign teachers.
According to a report by the Taipei Times, the National Taiwan University, National Cheng Kung University, National Tsing Hua University and National Chiao Tung University have collectively received investments totalling NT$4 billion (US$133.58 million) from the Ministry of Education.
Control Yuan will investigate what efforts the schools are taking to improve teaching English.
It revealed an average of just 8% of courses at each university uses English as the language of instruction, meaning the schools are less able to attract international students the report stated.
Of the 17,363 courses on offer at National Taiwan University in 2017, only 1,026, or 5.9%, were offered in English, excluding language courses, the report continued.
At National Cheng Kung University 9.44% of classes were taught in English, at National Tsing Hua University it was 12.86% and at National Chiao Tung University the number was 13.17%.
It said the MoE hopes to provide a greater number of courses in English, however, students are reluctant to take these conducted in English out of fear that they will be unable to follow the material.
A report by Taiwan News said the Control Yuan investigating agency will examine whether the teaching staff and environment of the English language classes are adequate and complete, and whether or not the schools have established international exchange courses or other related facilities or programs.
Commissioner of the National Supervisory Commission of the Control Yuan Peter Chang said they will investigate how the ratios of the four universities were calculated by the MOE and what efforts the schools are taking to improve the environment for teaching English.
In 2016, Taiwan’s Ministry of Education announced plans to boost the number of foreign students by 30,000 by 2019.
