2024.12.10

The University Affairs Committee at National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) in Taiwan has recently given unanimous approval for acquiring Chung Hua University (CHU). The two schools will soon begin discussing the details of acquisition model and are expected to submit a plan to the Ministry of Education (MOE) next year. The Committee thanked CHU for donating its campus and assets, affirmed that the acquisition will allow the original mission of CHU to continue, and unveiled a plan to establish the Tsing Hua² Science and Technology Park on the Chung Hua campus.

 

In accordance with school procedures, the acquisition had already been discussed and unanimously approved in November by NTHU's Development Advisory Committee, which is composed of more than 100 faculty, staff, and students.

 

As the closest private university to the Hsinchu Science Park, CHU is ideally located for education and training related to the semiconductor industry. Thus, it has been decided to convert the CHU campus into the Tsing Hua² Science and Technology Park, with “Hua²” indicating that the project is a joint effort between the two schools.

 

The first division of NTHU to relocate to the Tsing Hua² Science and Technology Park will be the College of Semiconductor Research (CoSR), under the leadership of its dean, Burn Lin (林本堅). Additional existing and newly established colleges, departments, institutes, and centers will also be moved to, or established at, the Park as the need arises.

 

In addition, since the Tsing Hua² Science and Technology Park will be set up in alignment with the National Development Council's Asia Silicon Valley Development Plan, it is destined to play a leading role in industry-university cooperation, in such capacities as integrating the research results of various entities in the Hsinchu Science Park, setting up a technology transfer platform, and forming a semiconductor cluster. Moreover, by providing R&D space for local and foreign startups, the Tsing Hua² Science and Technology Park will attract foreign investment and pave the way for major international manufacturers to set up a technology corridor centered on the Hsinchu Science Park and consisting of R&D centers and joint laboratories.

 

NTHU president W. John Kao (高為元) said that many well-known foreign universities have set up science parks. Taking the US as an example, way back in 1951 Stanford University established a research park covering an area of more than 200 hectares, which supplied the initial impetus for the subsequent rise of Silicon Valley. The University of California, San Diego also has a research park, which has attracted numerous start-ups and researchers, facilitating the commercialization of innovative technologies, while also boosting local economic development and global competitiveness.

 

The first acquisition of a public and private university in Taiwan was that of the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology and Hwa Hsia University of Technology, which was approved by the MOE last year. Once the current students at Hwa Hsia University graduate, the school will be acquired grated with the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, and the MOE has said that this will serve as a model for future public-private acquisitions, including the acquisition of CHU by NTHU.

 

The acquisition between NTHU and CHU will follow an "acquisition model," which differs from a merger or an institutional consolidation. Under this model, CHU will operate independently until all its current students graduate. Only after this transitional phase is completed will NTHU assume full managerial responsibilities and optimize the resources of the CHU campus. This phased approach ensures continuity for CHU's students while facilitating a smooth transition and future development.

 

According to Article 74 of the Private School Law, when a school is dissolved and liquidated, the remaining property may be donated to public schools or to juridical persons engaged in educational, cultural, or social welfare undertakings, as determined by the board of directors and approved by the competent authority.

 

Discussions between NTHU and CHU began in February of this year, resulting in the setting up of a special working group tasked with making an initial evaluation of the feasibility of the acquisition, resource allocation, and how to obtain the most beneficial overall outcome. The results were presented to the schools' administration, and with further discussion a consensus gradually formed. The process has also received enthusiastic support from the NTHU Alumni Association.

 

The success of the acquisition lies in the implementation of its details. The next phase of the acquisition will focus on effective communication with teachers and students and conducting various evaluations in areas such as efficiency, financial analysis, personnel costs, administration, and campus positioning.