Taipei, March 5 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian announced in Miaoli County, Taiwan Wednesday that the county's first university, the United Technology University, will receive its first intake of freshmen this autumn.
Making an inspection tour of the county, which is populated mainly by Hakka people, the president said that as Miaoli was the island's only county without a university, he had made a campaign promise to build a university there, despite a government policy not to set up any more universities in the near future.
In order to follow through on his campaign promise, however, Chen said he approved the upgrading of the National Lien-Ho Institute of Technology in Miaoli into a technology university.
The president also said he has chosen Miaoli as the location of the northern Taiwan Hakka Cultural Park.
Turning to the country's controversial education reform, which has been at the center of a fierce debate, the president said the general direction of the reform is correct but the administration should step up its campaign to promote the idea behind a series of education reforms begun eight years ago and win over teachers, parents and students.
The reforms are designed to ease the fierce competition among students for university and college entrance, but will not be successful if they only serve to increase the competition instead, the president noted.
He called those responsible for the reforms to listen to the voices of teachers, parents and students.