Summary of Self-evaluation Report

National Pingtung University of Science and Technology is an important university in Taiwan for cultivating talents in international agricultural technology and incorporates the concepts of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for connections and cooperation with international partners. The University won first place in the country in the 2022 World University Rankings and has been ranked first in the country for nine consecutive years. Ranked first in Taiwan, third in Asia, and 27th in the world; as a key technical university for the future export of international talents, the University has gradually improved the popularization and progress results of the Program on Bilingual Education for Students in College in three aspects, including: student learning, teacher support and course optimization.

Highlights of achievements

1. Student Learning

In order to continuously improve students' English competitiveness, this program is committed to universally improving students' English proficiency in the academic year 2022. The methods are as follows:

(1) The English listening and speaking courses incorporate international students as teaching assistants to help students with pronunciation and listening exercises in the class.

(2) The advanced English reading class incorporates English writing and distributes questionnaires to enable teachers to understand students' learning status.

(3) In addition to strengthening speaking and writing skills, this program also strengthens students' multi-faceted learning through language enhancement courses (basic English listening, grammar and vocabulary, advanced TOEIC listening, and TOEIC intensive classes). Also, the analysis results of the TOEIC English proficiency test of the English listening and reading of the freshman students in different departments of the University in the academic year 2022 show that, according to the pre-and post-test scores, the overall growth reached 3%-4%, and the students gradually improved their English proficiency. 

2. Teacher support

To improve teachers' ability to teach EMI courses, the University implements the "Directions for Faculty’s EMI (English Medium Instruction) Course Reward" and the "Subsidy Measures for Teaching Materials and Aids for EMI Courses" starting from the second semester of the academic year 2022: with reward mechanism, invitation of outstanding teachers to share their experience in teaching in English every semester and providing assistance and support in teaching experience to teachers who want to engage in EMI teaching.

3. Course optimization

To encourage students to take EMI courses, the Language Center of the University has launched a variety of EMI bridging courses (ESP/EAP) since the academic year 2022, such as Oral Training on English Picture Books Reading, News English, Scientific and Technological English, Workplace Self-marketing Presentation in English, Advanced English for Listening Proficiency Test, etc. This year, the proportion of sophomores and first-year master's students taking one EMI course in the University is 7.4% and 18.8% respectively, both of which meet the goals set for this academic year (4% for sophomores and 12% for the first-year master's students).

Methods of Self-assessment

1. Since the implementation of the Program on Bilingual Education in the academic year 2021, work meetings of the bilingual program have been held regularly, and the English-teaching team leaders have worked together to formulate the obstacles and solutions that teachers may encounter during class, and provide timely suggestions and improvement as teaching strategies.

In order to improve students' progress in English proficiency, the University’s Cross-Field Characteristic Development Center has allocated funds to assist the Language Center in replacing classroom software and hardware equipment and setting up a virtual studio through gradual updates. The International Affairs Office of the University organizes international activities all year round to achieve the purpose of cultural and language exchange for domestic and international students.

2. The Program on Bilingual Education at National Pingtung University of Science and Technology 

To continue and maintain teaching innovation and other courses with the EMI teachers in the University, the Center for Teaching Excellence also organizes a variety of EMI teacher empowerment lectures to help teachers improve their teaching practices. 

Teachers' teaching feedback and students’ evaluation forms are filled out for each teaching activity held to ensure the effectiveness of both teachers and students to check and maintain the operation of this program. The following are the University’s ongoing self-evaluation practices:

(1) The EMI program for freshman students must still be implemented step by step. Teachers should carefully consider the English proficiency in each class and collect feedback from students to adjust teaching methods and strategies.

(2) The English TOEIC proficiency test for freshmen students continues to be conducted to review the effectiveness of English teaching and provide the test results to various departments as a reference for EMI course planning.

(3) Establishing more ESP/EAP elective courses to help students adapt to the EMI professional courses required for various departments and colleges.

(4) The EMI version of the department’s professional courses should allow students to engage in critical discussions in their native language, provide scaffolding for learning, and lower the threshold for students’ bilingual transition.