Dahan Institute of Technology to close amid low enrollment

HUALIEN (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Dahan Institute of Technology announced its suspension on Wednesday (Feb. 21) of operations starting August 2024 due to declining birthrates, per the Private School Law.

Chen Chen-kuei, a board member of the Hualien-based institute, pointed out that the remote location of the school had always made it difficult to secure recruitment sources and teaching personnel, exacerbating the school's plight.

In the 30 years since its establishment, the school specialized in fields including mechanical engineering, would see student enrollment soaring past 7,000 at its peak. This technical talent proved crucial for the development of the Hualien-Taitung region.

In the academic recording year 2011, the school still boasted over 3,000 students. However, recruitment issues led to a steady decline in these numbers.

By the first semester of the academic year 2023, the total student body barely surpassed 500, Chen unveiled.

The Dahan Institute of Technology promised to protect the rights and interests of its staff and students, stating that the school's foundation scholarship would be managed by law. Implementation of the suspension plan would adhere strictly to its contents.