College Overview
College Overview
1. Establishment Process and Current Status
The establishment of the College of Medicine and Nursing at Yuan Ze University traces back to the end of 2017 (ROC Year 106), when Mr. Douglas Tong Hsu, Chairman of the Far Eastern Group, instructed at the Joint Meeting of Affiliated Enterprises to establish the College. Subsequently, multiple discussion and preparatory meetings were held between the University and Far Eastern Memorial Hospital regarding the College’s setup.
On May 3, 2019 (ROC Year 108), the proposal for establishing the College of Medicine and Nursing was submitted to the Chairman for approval, and on June 19, 2019, it was formally approved at the Administrative Meeting, establishing the "Preparatory Committee for the College of Medicine and Nursing." Later, in August 2020 (ROC Year 109), the 9th Meeting of the 10th Board of Directors of Yuan Ze University approved the establishment of the "Preparatory Office for the College of Medicine and Nursing," which was subsequently incorporated into the University's organizational chart for the 2020–2021 academic year.
The College aims to provide comprehensive medical education, foster interdisciplinary smart technology thinking, and implement smart healthcare within a holistic care framework.
Considering the long-term development of the College, the Board of Directors approved the establishment of a New Taipei Branch. At the end of 2019, the University leased 2.5 hectares of educational land in Linkou District from the New Taipei City Government for this purpose. At the same time, the New Taipei Branch establishment plan underwent rigorous review and discussion by the Ministry of Education’s Advisory Committee for Private Schools and the Ministry’s Review Committee, and was approved on December 30, 2020 (Ministry of Education Letter No. Tai Jiao Gao (3) 1090187488) to proceed with the preparatory setup.
Regarding the establishment of departments, the "Graduate Institute of Medicine" (Master’s Program) was the first to receive approval from the Ministry of Education and began admitting students in the 2021–2022 academic year, with an enrollment quota of 8 students. The "School of Nursing" was approved in the 2023–2024 academic year and will begin admitting 45 students starting in the 2024–2025 academic year. The Post-Baccalaureate Medical Program is still under proposal and will continue to be revised according to review committee feedback.
According to the Ministry of Education letter (Tai Jiao Gao (4) No. 1132203654C) dated December 31, 2024 (ROC Year 113), the Ministry approved the addition of the "College of Medicine and Nursing" starting from the second semester of the 2024–2025 academic year. The previously unassigned "Graduate Institute of Medicine", the "School of Nursing", and the "Graduate School of Biotechnology and Bioengineering" formerly under the "College of Engineering" were all incorporated under the "College of Medicine and Nursing".
2. Development Goals
In light of the global trends of an “aging population” and “declining birth rates”, Taiwan faces increasing healthcare burdens and challenges. In the future, the demand for professional medical and long-term care personnel in Taiwan will exceed that of the past. Smart healthcare—integrating software and hardware technologies to deliver healthcare solutions while reducing medical expenditures—can effectively enhance the quality and efficiency of healthcare services. If effectively applied to diagnosis, treatment, and care, smart healthcare can help alleviate the shortage of medical personnel and reduce healthcare costs. Moreover, the two major challenges in healthcare—“long-term care for the elderly” and “regional healthcare equity”—can also be addressed through smart healthcare, thereby improving overall medical quality and lowering the demand for medical manpower. The cultivation of smart healthcare professionals requires a next-generation medical and nursing college that not only provides comprehensive medical education but also inspires interdisciplinary thinking in intelligent technologies and applies smart healthcare in line with the philosophy of holistic care.
In response to the nation’s need for healthcare professionals with expertise in long-term care and telemedicine, and in alignment with the global trend of smart healthcare development, the College will build upon its solid foundation in education and outstanding R&D capabilities. In partnership with “Far Eastern Memorial Hospital”, which possesses abundant and comprehensive resources for medical education, the College will establish a “College of Medicine and Nursing.” Leveraging the University’s existing strengths in information and communications technology, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering, the College will cultivate the industry–academia–research talent required by the nation in the field of smart healthcare, setting a new milestone in smart healthcare education.
The College aims to create an educational environment equipped with comprehensive resources for medical science, nursing science, and interdisciplinary engineering in the field of smart healthcare. With “Holistic, Smart, Medical” as its core educational theme, the College is dedicated to nurturing holistic smart healthcare professionals and integrating medical science with scientific innovation to improve human health. In alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the College aims to promote SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) in the short term; advance SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) in the medium term; and contribute to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) in the long term.
