National Taiwan University (NTU) ended a military studies degree program after it failed to recruit more than one new student per year, reports said Saturday.
Other universities however reported more success with similar study programs. The programs were launched after the Ministry of National Defense (MND) concluded agreements with several state-run universities in 2020.
The programs were devised to help the military make up for a decreasing number of new recruits, CNA reported. Participants received scholarships and subsidies for their living expenses and took part in training during the summer holidays, with five years of military service following graduation.
The first year, four candidates registered for the program at NTU, but due to a variety of circumstances, only one actually went on to complete the bachelor’s degree program. Each of the two following years, only one new student enrolled.
After the MND sent a letter to the universities asking for a reevaluation of the program, NTU and National Chengchi University (NCCU) decided to terminate the study programs ahead the 2024 academic year.
However, other colleges said they would continue the program. National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) said it found students interested in digital warfare, while National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) said that its selection process recruits about three to four students per year for the program.
Source: Taiwan News
