Ming Chuan University: Specialized Architectural Education Aligned with the Global Trends

Home Education Magazines may-2023-special5 issue Vendor Ming Chuan University

Educational methodologies are subject to change over time across the world. SDGs and technology innovations have played a significant role in modernizing education and creating more interactive study programs for students at large. Education on architecture has become very much oriented towards SDGs and modern technology, and institutions across the world have started adapting to the changing trends in order to provide an advanced form of education to their students.

However, very few institutions have been successful in integrating SDGs and technology with architectural education. It is because of the visionary approach that is required. It was Ming Chuan University from Taiwan that combined architecture with AR and VR technologies and formulated a course for their students in 2016. It also sticks to the social design responsibility of assisting the society and feeding back to community. Since 2012, the department has first started the series of architecture courses on many remote or rural areas.

Since then, the university has been recognized as one of the premium in terms of architecture education in Asia. In order to improve the quality of international education, the University started the certification process of "Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)" in 2006, and successfully passed it on November 18, 2010, becoming the first university in Asia to receive US accreditation.

Due to the advantages of certification, the university not only continues to strengthen foreign language teaching, but also promotes multilingual crossborder teaching and cultural activities, and strengthens the effective implementation of international education to all teachers and students in the school to improve the quality of education. “The school also co-operated with Sekinaw State University in Michigan to establish an American branch campus, to carry forward Ming Chuan's educational characteristics in the United States, localize global knowledge, and the educational ideal of globalizing local knowledge has been gradually implemented in Ming Chuan,” mentions Dr. Lee, Associate Dean, School of Design, Ming Chuan University.

The Department of Architecture employs 9 full-time teachers and 27 part-time teachers. All teachers have master's and doctoral degrees. Most of the teachers have qualifications for studying abroad and have rich practical experience. In addition to actively participating in academic seminars, publishing books and personal works, they also participate in diverse industry-university cooperation projects. The combination of theory and practice is of great help to teaching effectiveness. At present, there are fifth grades in the university department, one class for each grade, 55 students are enrolled, and 8 students are enrolled in the master's class every year.

With creativity as the main feature, the pursuit of original architectural living space design is mainly based on design, technical practice, theoretical history, computer and representation, environment and culture, etc., focusing on innovation and contemporary. The goal is to cultivate all-round outstanding architectural design talents, that is, to train proper professional cognition and attitude, and to establish professional spirit and self-cultivation in the cultivation education of designers. The orientation of the course aims at the changes in architecture and indoor and outdoor spaces, and trains students to have a fresh, sharp, and flexible mind, to think and judge from multiple angles in the face of various situations, and then to gain insights into the nature and changes of affairs.

Ming Chuan Architecture leads to broaden students’ international vision and lay the foundation for students’ future career by offering international lectures, workshop, competitions, and overseas internships. The department of Architecture also upholds SDGs partially through its social design responsibility of assisting society and giving back the community. Since 2012, a series of architecture classes have been initiated in the mountainous regions that have been extended to many remote or rural areas. They have been to remote mountain areas in Nantou, Hualien and Fuxing Township of Taoyuan many times for rural construction, and combined our works with local features such as bamboo and wooden models.

The goal is to cultivate all-round Outstanding architectural Design talents, that is, to train Proper professional cognition And attitude, and to establish Professional spirit and selfcultivation In the cultivation Education of designers
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The value provided “is not only the practical training or the cultivation of communication abilities for students but also doing our part in fulfilling social responsibility by building in remote villages,” comments by Dr. Liang, Chair of the Department. Every year, teachers and students of the Department of Architecture participate in many social responsibility projects for community building, community revitalization, as well as urban and rural environmental transformation; their participation has led to remarkable results.

Academic Excellence

The university has 11 Schools: Management, Communication, Law, Design, Applied Language, Information Technology, Tourism, Social Sciences, Health Technology, Financial Technology and International College. With the rapid development of globalization and the knowledge economy, the teaching and research of teaching units can keep pace with the times, with equal emphasis on theory and practice, to cultivate students' ability to solve problems, to innovate and to upgrade thinking, not only to impart knowledge but for more teaching ability. The goal of the school's specialization is to strengthen industry-university exchanges, take into account both theoretical and practical knowledge, emphasize professional experience and academic performance, and provide diverse education and lifelong learning opportunities.

The educational principle insists on theory-based, application-oriented education, which coordinates professional courses, utility courses (four years of English courses and three years of information technology courses) and general education to ensure that all graduates benefit from theory-based, application-oriented education. The university implements holistic education to nurture students’ characters through seminars, graduation thesis, graduation project design, strict discipline and diligent teaching. Its graduates compete well with their peers in both further education admissions and employment rate.

Future Endeavours

Ming Chuan University has been established for more than 66 years, and has become an internationalized university under Founder Pao’s leadership and faculty and staff members’ efforts. Ming Chuan University not only cultivates talents in high tech, humanities and management, but also strives to be a better and better comprehensive university in research, teaching and service. Ming Chuan University continues on the road to achieving internationallyrecognized university status.