Hungkuang University advances health and human ecology for global welfare

Country Business Reports interviews and articles by Discovery Reports www.discoveryreports.com

At the forefront of Taiwan’s drive to host 58,000 international students by 2019, Hungkuang University is expanding its health and human ecology curriculum.

Honing professionals with an altruistic spirit, Hungkuang specialises in nursing education, and offers bachelor’s and master’s courses in food sciences, elderly care, applied cosmetology, hairstyling, audiology, physical therapy and animal care. As a result, enrolment in its 22 departments and 10 graduate institutes has seen steady growth despite an overall decline in Taiwan’s student population.

“We adapt to the needs of society and grow with the Taiwanese economy,” says Dr Laura Huang, president of Hungkuang University.

Founded in 1967 on the principle of “caring for humanity, cherishing life,” Hungkuang collaborates with 108 universities globally, and with a wide range of corporations across industries on research and internship opportunities.

As the only university in Central Taiwan offering a PhD programme in nursing, its alumni comprise about a third of Taiwan’s nursing directors.

Another distinction is that it is affiliated with a teaching hospital, a community hospital specialised in elderly care, and three preschools. Hungkuang also ranks No 1 in cosmetology and hairstyling, and is considered No 2 in hotel management in Taiwan.

“We are integrating collaborations among different departments so that we can provide an edge in multidisciplinary education,” Huang says.

The university has a successful “3+1” partnership with British institutions that allows Hungkuang undergraduates to earn a second degree with Middlesex University London and University of Northampton.

Also popular is a summer programme that attracts exchange students and educators from Asia, Europe, and North America.

“We have participants from 18 countries this year. This short programme for non-Chinese speaking students allows them to experience Taiwan and our campus culture,” Huang says.

Hungkuang is preparing more courses for bilingual instruction to accommodate more international students for the longer term. It also welcomes partnerships with schools, universities and industries on a global scale.

“We’d like to grow internationally, instead of just locally,” Huang says.

www.hk.edu.tw