The current demographic situation in Taiwan shows an aging population and a decrease in higher education enrollment overall. This poses a significant challenge for all tertiary institutions in the country. In response, Ming Chi University of Technology has implemented various strategies to increase the number of master's and doctoral students, aiming to address the declining enrollment trend. To enhance the university's visibility and attract prospective students, we have collaborated with media outlets that align with our target demographic. This includes interviews and features in print media such as Economic Daily News, CommonWealth Magazine, Global Views Monthly, and Cheers, as well as the publication of interviews on platforms like YouTube and Citizen News Network to promote the university's image, unique characteristics, and overall enrollment efforts through multimedia publicity.

Enhancing the Accessibility of Student Interviews

Most students at MCUT come from Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, and Taichung. To increase opportunities for students from southern and eastern Tawan and from outside the island, MCUT has established funding subsidies. These interview subsidies aim to reduce transportation and accommodation costs for students in Taiwan who are interested in studying at our university. According to the subsidy rules, round-trip transportation subsidies are provided for students from different counties and cities participating in the interviews based on distance. Additionally, subsidies are available for examinees from medium- and low-income families in central and northern Taiwan. Those who join in admission examinations can also apply for free accommodation at MCUT one day before the interviews. Furthermore, MCUT provides recommendations for preparing for each admission channel so that students who wish to join the MCUT community do not miss out on the opportunity due to living in remote areas or lacking resources for admission preparations.

New Student Orientation Camp and Parent-Teacher Interaction

To help new students at MCUT quickly adjust to university life, reduce anxiety about the new learning environment, and make connections, we have planned orientation camp activities with unique MCUT characteristics. The activities include courses led by mentors, counseling officers, and department directors who will explain essential provisions related to university life, curriculum planning, and future career prospects. Additionally, these courses will cover topics such as intellectual property protection and library resources and introduce each department and office. The Student Counseling Division will also lead activities, including “New A-List” and “Career Formula” to enhance class cohesion and help students explore career planning. The "Club Carnival" will allow new students to learn about the various clubs at MCUT through club performances arranged by the Student Activity Division and the student union. The orientation camp aims to enhance new students' familiarity with the campus environment, helping them adapt to campus life and encouraging their personal growth at MCUT.

To enhance parents’ understanding of MCUT's educational philosophy and its characteristics, we have established communication channels between teachers and parents to strengthen the partnership between home and school. This ensures that school education supplements family education, improving the overall educational experience. Before the start of the school year, we hold a symposium for new students' parents and teachers. In the 2022 academic year, 744 individuals participated in this symposium. On the day of the event, department directors and head teachers led the seminar, with the Student Counseling Division, each department, and office providing administrative support and assisting parents in clarifying university-related matters. During the symposium, department directors introduced the university, its departments, offices, and institutes, and parents had the opportunity to communicate with mentors and learn about the courses and class management. Following the symposium, 99.3% of parents indicated that they had a better understanding of the university's educational philosophy and characteristics; 99.3% reported improved knowledge of school rules and measures; 97.6% expressed a better understanding of how to support their children upon admission; 98.9% indicated improved knowledge of how to collaborate with the school to enhance the educational experience; 97.9% reported better familiarity with their children's class mentors; and 98.3% stated that the activity handbook provided comprehensive assistance for students at each learning stage.

Assisting the Enrollment of Disadvantaged Students

To support students and prevent them from dropping out due to financial constraints, MCUT charges student accommodation fees below the operational costs. Additionally, in compliance with the "Regulations Governing the Reduction and Exemption of Tuition and Fees of Students from Low-income and Medium-income Families" by the Ministry of Education, MCUT allocates at least 10% of tuition and fees for scholarships and grants annually. The Student Assistance Division under the Office of Student Affairs is responsible for implementing support plans such as "Aiding the Study of Disadvantaged Students," "Grants for Life Service and Learning," "Emergency Relief," and "Accommodation Reduction/Exemption" for students from low-income and medium-income families, students with physical and mental disabilities, and students from families with special circumstances. Since the 2018 academic year, MCUT has responded to the Higher Education Sprout Project by the Ministry of Education and established "Grants for Supporting Disadvantaged Students to Fulfill Dreams" with donations from alumni. Moreover, through the "Project for Helping Students Achieve Their Dreams," funded by the Ministry of Education, students are provided with monthly living expenses through work-study programs. This initiative aims to improve the university's counseling mechanism for economically disadvantaged students and promote social mobility through collaboration among the university's Ministry of Education and alums.

Additionally, MCUT has established the "Center for Education of Indigenous Students" to support Indigenous students with their tuition and fees, board expenses, accommodation fees, and book expenses. All Indigenous students studying at the MCUT undergraduate School receive subsidies. In the 2022 academic year, 80 students received a total subsidy amount of NT$1,342,205.

Honorary Scholarships and Grants of Undergraduate School

To attract outstanding students to study at the four-year technical college of MCUT and motivate them to excel in their studies, we have established the "Regulations on the Implementation of Honorary Scholarships and Grants of Undergraduate School." Students may be eligible for generous scholarship subsidies based on the following conditions: starting the second semester, students registered for the current semester will undergo a "Performance Assessment" based on their previous semester's performance. The assessment criteria are as follows:

1. A conduct grade of at least 80 points.

2. Ranking within the top 30% of academic performance in the class (or department) (40% for those admitted in the 2023 academic year) or a GPA of 3.38.

3. Meeting the TOEIC English score renewal standard.

4. Any additional review conditions required by each college; Students who consistently meet these standards will be eligible to receive scholarships and grants based on the specified conditions.

Scholarships and Grants for Remote Cooperative Schools

Since the 2023 academic year, students who graduated from the 87 schools that cooperated with MCUT and were later admitted to MCUT (regardless of the department or admission channel) will be eligible for preferential tuition and fee standards upon registration according to “Multi-Stars Project Admission Charge Standards.” Once students have completed their payments and registration, the university will compare their information with the list of applications for tuition and fee reductions or exemptions provided by the Student Counseling Division. It's important to note that students from low-income and medium-income families may already have access to preferential subsidy schemes so that subsidies will be given preferentially, and no repeated subsidies will be provided. After this comparison, eligible students who have not repeatedly applied for subsidies will receive a proactive refund of part of their tuition and fees to their registered postal accounts.

Burden Reduced Dormitory Life

One of the distinctive features of MCUT's education is that it requires first-year students to live in its dormitories for one year. Opting to experience dormitory life at MCUT not only reduces students’ off-campus accommodation costs but also helps them learn how to live in a community, preparing them for socialized learning before they enter the workforce. Additionally, the on-campus meal fees are only about half of those off-campus, lightening students' financial burdens, which aligns with MCUT's motto of "Diligence and Perseverance."

MCUT provides a total of 2,775 dormitory beds with a utilization rate of 85.5%. Each dormitory building at MCUT is regularly maintained to ensure that students can live in a comfortable environment. In 2019, approximately NT$100 million was allocated for renovating girls’ dormitories to ensure student safety and provide peace of mind to their parents. Unused beds are utilized for student quarantine, medical needs, adjustments during dormitory renovations, official university activities, temporary residences for international exchange students, and reserved use by international students. Thanks to subsidies from the Ministry of Education, students will be provided with free accommodation starting from the 2024 academic year.

MCUT implements a student residence system. According to the existing full-board system, meal fees for the entire semester are collected upon student registration and payment of fees. To be specific, the daily meal fee is NT$ 154 (NT$ 34 for breakfast and NT$ 60 for lunch and dinner, respectively). The university pays the catering vendor NT$ 181/day/student and covers the difference of NT$ 27 at its own expense. The supply of food in the form of group meals mainly enables students to dine as scheduled and cultivate good eating habits. Furthermore, pricing based on quantity allows students to enjoy affordable meals of essential quality and reduces parents’ economic pressure. Additionally, we hope that students from economically disadvantaged families can eat well.

Guidance for the dormitory is jointly promoted and implemented by independent student leadership teams, class mentors, and guidance instructors. For independent student leadership teams, student representatives are selected from each department to form an independent team that designates student dormitory counselors, senior general team leaders, and college cadres to advocate dormitory-related living norms. Independent student leadership teams lead junior students to foster group interaction and good daily routines based on their own experiences. To ensure that students can study securely, class teachers would arrange counseling at the dormitories at night to fully master students’ learning and living conditions and assist them in adapting to the new life; relevant counseling conditions are fully reflected in “Record Form of Class Teachers’ Dormitory Visits and Counseling.”

During breaks, MCUT students may go to the library or grab a coffee, return to their dormitories to continue studying or work, or rest briefly and prepare for the next class. In the evenings after school, they can go back to the dormitories for rest without having to endure the inconvenience of commuting. They can save nearly two hours of commuting time every day. As a result, students can focus more on their schoolwork, club activities, industry-academia cooperation, and even the cultivation of their hobbies. Furthermore, they can plan their time, learn to live independently and manage their time correctly in this serene forest university, taking the first steady steps in their brilliant lives.