Development of the Self-Accrediting System in Taiwan and Its Impact on Higher Education Institutions: A Case Study of Fu Jen Catholic University

Abstract

Over the past decade, all Asian nations have developed their own quality assurance system by setting up a national accreditor whose principal role is to accredit local tertiary education institutions and academic programs, including Taiwan. A decentralized system of quality assurance framework in Taiwanese higher education did not exist until a national accreditor, the Higher Education Evaluation and Accreditation Council of Taiwan (HEEACT), was established in 2005 with funds from the government and 153 colleges and universities. In 2013, the Ministry of Education (MOE) launched a new policy of self-accreditation, which aimed at enhancing institutional autonomy as well as promoting an institution’s internal quality mechanism. Thirty-four recipients of Taiwan’s Teaching and Research Excellent Programs have been invited to take part in the new initiative. Hence, the main purpose of the chapter is to realize the new development of self-accreditation and its impact on Taiwan higher education. Fu Jen is adopted as a case study to examine the changes in the new system at the end of the chapter.