Curriculum Development and Management
Our university is the first in Taiwan to join the CDIO International Collaborative Organization. In 2004, MIT collaborated with the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, and Linköping University in Sweden to develop the conceive–design–implement–operate (CDIO) educational framework to bridge the gap between theory and practice and cultivate the talents needed for the future. The CDIO International Collaborative Organization has members from Europe, America, Asia, New Zealand, and Australia. As of 2017, there were more than 140 member colleges. Our university was officially approved to join in March 2017 and collaborates with international partner schools to develop and share CDIO teaching models.
Our university’s curriculum is learner-oriented and emphasizes the development of skills that students need after graduation. We implement a outcome-based, continuous improvement double-loop curriculum planning and management mechanism that focuses on developing students’ abilities. Our curriculum development is based on the university’s vision and action plans, and external members are included in departmental curriculum committees to collect feedback from recent graduates, employers, external members, and alumni for one, three, and five years. Based on societal needs and industry trends, we include communication, teamwork, problem-solving, innovation, and other core competencies to formulate the students’ core competencies for curriculum planning. Our teachers engage in teaching activities, and teaching quality checks are conducted every semester.
Double-loop curriculum planning and management mechanism
1. Overview of Major Curricula Revisions
All departments or programs of the College of Business and Finance have curriculum committees that meet at least twice every semester to review the course offering list. They remove courses not aligned with teaching and industry trends and add courses relevant to industry trends, such as smart innovation operations, AI, and sustainability development. Please refer to appendix for the courses that have been added and removed between the 2018 and 2022 academic years.
In addition, in response to the trend of intelligent technology and to enhance students’ cross-domain learning abilities, our Curriculum Committee and Student Learning Quality Assurance Committee met in 2020 to discuss the revision of the Learning Competency. All teaching staff are required to plan their courses and modify their course outlines in accordance with the revised Learning Competency.
Learning Competency
2. Curriculum Content
(1) Curriculum for Undergraduate Students
Our undergraduate program requires students to complete 128 credits, including 60 credits of required courses, 28 credits of general education courses, and 40 credits of elective courses, in order to graduate. Our college has adopted the CDIO project-based learning framework and incorporates smart technology and the United Nations’ 17 SDGs into departments’ curricula, from the anchoring courses to the in-depth specialization courses (deep-dive) and even the interdisciplinary graduation project (Deans’ Project). Our aim is to develop students’ expertise in the application of smart technology as well as their understanding of the United Nations’ 17 SDGs to allow students to think from different perspectives and foster creativity and innovation.
The complete CDIO process includes the Freshman Project, the Anchoring Project, the Deep-dive Project, and the Graduation Project. The Freshman Project aims to inspire students’ learning motivation and interest, cultivate ideation and teamwork skills, and allow students to understand the future development of their professional field in the industry. The Deep-dive Project emphasizes the learning of professional tools and hands-on experience and aims to cultivate students’ ability to apply these tools. The Graduation Project spans a year or more and allows students to understand social or industrial problems and needs, conceptualize and define problems, complete the entire CDIO process, integrate knowledge, conduct practical work, and complete the project. Figure 3.3 shows the curriculum planning of our college.
To establish students’ fundamental professional abilities, our college has introduced an innovative teaching model. Fundamental courses such as economics, accounting, statistics, management, financial management, and marketing management all have dedicated teaching assistants. Currently, there are four teaching assistants for economics and three each for accounting and statistics, totaling ten. Teaching assistants are appointed by the college, and their schedules are arranged by the coordinating teaching committee of each subject. They are also responsible for supporting the overall administrative affairs of the college and providing cross-departmental support. The following diagram shows the curriculum planning of our college.
Curriculum Management and Development for Undergraduate Students
(2) Curriculum for Graduate Students
The PDCA cycle quality management model is used as the core driver of organizational development to shape the development framework of the Graduate School with the aim of improving the quality of graduate education.
After completing basic courses, professional courses of various departments, and core courses of business management, students combine 2+1+1 internships, industry papers, academic papers, or competitions instead of just writing an academic thesis to apply the theoretical knowledge they have learned in school to practical applications. This helps achieve the goal of integrating theory with practice.
In order to encourage outstanding undergraduate students to continue their studies in Feng Chia University’s graduate programs and achieve continuous learning and shortened academic years, COB/COF offers a Five-Year BA–MA Program. As long as students perform well each semester after enrollment, they can apply to the relevant graduate programs before the end of the second semester of their junior year.
Curriculum Management for Graduate Students
3. Promotion of Curricula for Positive Societal Impact
(1) Interdisciplinary competition
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National Sustainability Hackathon Competition
The Nuremberg Technical Incubation Center held the Digital Tech Summit 2019 competition from October 11 to 13, 2019. The participating team from our university was led by Dean Hsiang-Tsai Chiang from the College of Business and included Liao Yingjia from the Department of International Business, Liu Shunyong from the Department of Economics, and Chen Guanhe, a second-year master’s student from the College of Information and Electrical Engineering. Our university was the only Asian school to participate and was awarded the runner-up prize.
Based on this competition experience, Dean Jiang Xiangcai initiated the National Sustainability Hackathon competition after returning to our university. Eight universities and companies jointly organized this national hackathon competition, with the United Nations’ 17 SDGs as the main theme. The competition aimed to cultivate the ability of current young students to connect with future employment needs and gather innovative inspiration from interdisciplinary fields. Through practical business propositions and the use of intelligent technology, the competition aimed to create an environment of shared prosperity and implement innovative development driven by sustainable values. In addition, our university has incorporated the National Sustainability Hackathon into multiple courses as an indirect assessment method to encourage students to participate in the competition. For example, Professor Yi-Fang Chiang from the Department of Cooperative Economics and Social Entreprenuership offered courses such as Digital Social Innovation Practice and Non-Profit and Social Enterprise, while Professors Ting-Ting Chen and Fei-Chun Cheng jointly offered the Industry Trend Analysis course for the Bachelor’s Program in Business Administration—all of which used the hackathon as the final assessment. In 2022, students from the College of Business and Finance won 35 awards, and seven groups won first place.
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Information Application Service Innovation and Entrepreneurship New Talent Selection Competition
The interdisciplinary team, composed of students from the Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering and the Department of Business Administration, participated in the 7th Information Application Service Innovation and Entrepreneurship New Talent Selection Contest organized by the Industrial Development Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs in 2019. They designed the VIPS Customer Service Perception System and won the Silver Medal for Potential Commodity Group. The application was focused on the use of location-based services (LBS) and included designing a centimeter-level positioning technology that provides high-precision indoor positioning information for users. It also supports a mobile push system and integrates with merchants’ promotional information, enabling the accurate delivery of the latest advertising messages to users.
(2)Competition of Fundamental Courses
Our college requires students to take fundamental courses in areas such as economics, statistics, accounting, and management to help them access a variety of business information and understand current industry, business, and international development trends as well as hot topics. Every year, our college holds a competition on fundamental subjects to encourage students to participate and, through industry and company information, to use accounting data, economic factors, statistical methods, and management thinking to address problems raised by each interdisciplinary subject and find the best green finance practice for sustainable business operations in various industries.
(3)Helping tourism factories move towards sustainable development
The College of Business and Finance and the Taiwan tourism factory association Collaboration signed a cooperation plan in the second semester of 2021. Through three courses, including Industry Tour, Smart Technology and Business Innovation, and Business Innovation Project, and in-depth interaction with five tourist factories, the faculty and students jointly constructed a digital marketing and social platform for tourist factories. The topics covered included international marketing, LINE official account marketing planning, and micro-films. By using five local micro-films, 32 international micro-films in multiple languages, and six sets of LINE official account design and marketing plans, they sought to promote the sustainable development of domestic tourist factories through diversified marketing and innovative win–win strategies, optimize business models, and assist tourist factories in moving toward sustainable operation.
(4)Actively Cooperating with Domestic and Foreign Enterprises for Industry-
Academia Collaboration
The university actively collaborates with domestic and foreign companies to plan flexible and diverse internship opportunities. Through the 6+1+1 program for undergraduate students and the 2+1+1 program for graduate students, the university promotes professional knowledge training for students for 6 semesters and 2 semesters, respectively, followed by a semester of industry–academia cooperation courses and a semester of internship in the company, to cultivate talents that meet industry needs. In order to help students quickly integrate into the workplace and cultivate workplace ethics, students must take an off-campus internship introduction course offered by the various departments of the university before starting their internship.
Integrating UCAN’s career interest diagnosis, internship experience evaluation, and corporate satisfaction survey, feedback is given to design vocational courses, strengthen the development of vocational skills that combine theory and practice, and help students integrate theory and practice to enhance their competitiveness in the job market.
Figure 3.5 shows the annual number of internships of our college from 2018 to 2021. Most students apply for a 7+1 semester internship and then comes the winter and summer internship. A few students apply for a 3+1 semester internship. Applying for an internship for a whole academic year is difficult because applicants have to complete most of their credits by the end of their junior year.
To allow students to become familiar with companies during their academic year and have the opportunity to interact with human resource managers, the Global Village Business Education and Industry–Academia Promotion Service Center the college has signed an industry–academia alliance agreement with Sinyi Realty. Together, they plan the 6+1+1 Campus Seed Activity to deepen the connection between campus and enterprises, focusing on the enterprise culture and management philosophy, so that students can stay abreast of trends in the workplace. Through events such as leadership tea parties, enterprise briefings, Malaysian student gatherings, enterprise visits, talent cultivation and development speeches in the real estate industry, 104 human resources bank job-seeking success workshops, and the sponsorship of salesperson license promotion classes, the distance between companies and students is narrowed, allowing students to gain a more comprehensive education and access internship resources.
(5)The societal impact of sustainability courses
Professor Chen Hou-ru developed the course Practice of Corporate Sustainability Reporting. After Huang Zi-yin, a second-year master’s student from the Department of Accounting, completed the course, she applied for an internship at CSRone, a sustainability think-tank, through the university’s 3+1 internship program. With relevant experience, she was subsequently hired by CTCSP Corporation, a sustainability and climate change consulting. In addition, Qiu Xian-bin, an undergraduate student from the Department of Accounting, was hired by CTCSP Corporation after completing the course—before even graduating.
4. Innovation, Experiential Learning, and Lifelong Learning
(1) Foundational Courses Online
To enhance students’ interest and basic skills in professional learning in their respective departments, COB/COF adopts diverse teaching and assessment methods, introduces innovative teaching tools, and plans digital learning modules to guide and stimulate students to think about their future paths and career planning. The following subsections explain teaching innovations for each integrated course.
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Economics:
The teaching team provides lesson plans and training courses and introduces four innovative teaching elements—problem-based learning (PBL), game-based learning, data-driven learning, and action theatre-style learning—according to the needs of the curriculum. Through group discussions, game experiments, data inference, and situational simulations, abstract academic theories are concretely brought to life, thereby enhancing students’ learning motivation. Since 2019, we have been developing an economics learning mobile application FJU Economic Guide, which is based on the chapters of introductory economics. The app allows students to use their mobile phones to look up the definitions of economic terms and practice related exercises. In 2020, we promoted and implemented the use of this app, expanded the exercise bank of economic terms, and encouraged students to use this app as an auxiliary tool for their daily economics learning, thereby enhancing their self-learning ability.
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Accounting:
Integrating Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and/or Enterprise Information Systems (EIS) into the curriculum is designed to enhance students’ ability to integrate professional knowledge and practical skills in an enterprise setting. By using ERP systems, students gain insights into the daily operational processes of companies from the perspective of business operators. They learn about the work procedures and responsibilities of various departments in a company, which helps stimulate their learning motivation and guide them toward obtaining ERP system certifications.
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Statistics:
We use high-level programming language tools such as R and Python to organize and analyze big data, link industry data with course expertise, and combine online video problem-solving to cultivate students’ self-learning abilities. We also established an online answer system (WeBWork) to provide immediate feedback to teachers while teaching. We hold an Applied Statistics Competition to simulate real-world scenarios and apply learned skills to solve problems, and we have implemented the concept of learning by doing. We also organize the College of Commerce Statistics Learning by Doing Competition, where students present their research results via visual posters, providing opportunities to share and engage in mutual observation among teachers and students while enhancing team honor. Through competitions and poster exhibitions, we cultivate students’ abilities to use information technology to solve problems, improve their communication skills in oral and written reports, and integrate statistical expertise into proactive team learning.
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Management:
Incorporating the teaching methods of experiential education and case analysis enables students to participate in hands-on experiences through active learning to achieve the purpose of learning by doing in the course. Through case studies, reflective learning, and autonomous learning, students can enhance their professional and problem-solving abilities.
In addition to introducing innovative teaching methods, subject-specific teaching assistants also record solution videos and coordinate digital course materials, thereby establishing a self-directed learning support system to enhance student learning outcomes.
(2)Innovative System (A in B out and A+B)
Our college is committed to building a flexible and innovative educational system, creating diverse learning opportunities, and enhancing students’ abilities. To achieve this goal, our undergraduate program has established an innovative interdisciplinary specialization (A+B) and an A In B Out program, providing students with dual majors, minors, and credit-based certificate programs that integrate multiple disciplines to strengthen their learning in related fields.
The A+B program allows students to choose 1–2 electives (20 credits) from a related field to serve as their second major, while still completing the rest of required 60 credits in their primary major. The remaining 40 credits focus on courses in their primary major. This program aims to inspire students to explore and learn across disciplines without adding additional credits required for graduation. Each course module, except the general education module, is designed based on the following principles:
i. Track 1: Students must complete 60 credits of courses related to their primary major.
ii. Track 2: Students must complete at least 40 credits of courses related to their second major.
iii. Track 3: Students must complete at least 20 credits of specific courses related to their minor. Students must take a second major or minor outside their department or degree program.
The A In B Out program allows students to remain in their original major (A series) but take courses in a related field that meets the graduation requirements of the target major (B series). The related fields include business and finance, construction, engineering, information and electrical engineering, and humanities. This program was introduced in 2019 and, currently, there are no graduates. As of 2023, 10 students have applied for the A In B Out program, and 74 students have applied for the A+B program. Of these applications, 8 students have been approved for the A In B Out program, and 72 students have been approved for the A+B program.
(3)The Module of Business Innovation and Smart Operation
Our college has designed a systematic curriculum allocation for undergraduate and graduate students in addition to establishing a sound learning environment and infrastructure. The three basic courses in the undergraduate program are Intelligent Technology and Business Innovation, Intelligent Technology and Management Application, and Social Innovation and Information Technology Application. Another eight courses designed include Innovative Industry Forum, Industry Tour, New Business Models, Intelligent Technology, Global Business Trends, Intelligent Operations, Innovation Cost and Financial Strategy, and Business Innovation Projects. In this series of courses, our college introduces industrial practices and intelligent technology analysis tools into the curriculum. Through corporate visits, dialogues with business practitioners, and project-oriented modes, students from different fields are guided to analyze the industry outlook from different perspectives and to propose innovative and practical solutions in new business models, industry trends, social innovation, and other areas. Therefore, students must also learn the operation and application of intelligent tools and data science in the related Intelligent Technology and Intelligent Operations courses to facilitate business decision-making analysis, formulation, and execution. Throughout the process, our college encourages students to participate in domestic and international business innovation-related competitions and, through the concept of practical cases, to stimulate and evaluate feasible business models with cross-disciplinary classmates in order to accumulate the professional knowledge and abilities required for intelligent operations.
(4) Digital Learning in Finance
In the face of significant changes in the financial environment and the booming development of information technology, students seeking to enter the financial industry are facing challenges. Our college is a professional institution that connects with the industry. In response to the global trend of financial technology development and the need to cultivate talent for the upgrading and transformation of the financial industry, we have gradually planned a series of fintech courses starting in the 2019 academic year. In the 2020 academic year, we launched the FinTech minor module, which allows students to complete at least one major and one minor in diverse professional skills. We also collaborate with the Innovation Academy to promote the Financial Innovation Field Program, which uses innovative teaching methods such as industry–academia co-teaching, practical exercises, and microfinance innovation courses to cultivate students’ abilities to connect with the industry. At the same time, the FinTech minor module is open to students from other colleges and, through interdisciplinary professional teams, students can take courses that match their abilities, with flexible scheduling and credit transfer, leading them to the future of fintech.
The FinTech minor module is a diverse curriculum plan that crosses disciplines and requires a total of 20 credits, including common core elective courses of 5 credits, departmental core elective courses of 3 credits, and professional elective courses of 12 credits. Upon completion of all courses, a note indicating the minor specialization is added to the graduation certificate, which will enhance employment opportunities. Currently, 12 students are studying the FinTech microfinance course.
(5) Corporate Sustainable ESG Program
The university has established the Corporate Sustainable ESG Program in an effort to be a pioneering source of research and professional knowledge in the circular economy and to provide solutions for current and future sustainable development through academic research, a series of keynote speeches, the development of sustainable courses, and the promotion of certification counseling.
The program has two main objectives: (a) to promote sustainable development and strengthen the link between the circular economy and business management and (b) to assist in the research and training of sustainable business planning, including cultivating students’ professional knowledge in sustainable development, assisting them in obtaining professional certifications, and clarifying their self-positioning. The program meets the needs of companies, teachers, and students through counseling, training, and integration and is expected to become a strategic partner for corporate sustainable development and innovation.
The program is co-organized with external stakeholders such as the Taiwan Association of Tourist Factory Promotion, the Taiwan Sustainable Energy Research Foundation, and the Taiwan Institute of Accounting Research and Development Foundation. It offers eight courses jointly developed by the Bachelor of Business Administration Program, the Department of Accounting, the Department of Cooperative Economics and Social Entrepreneurship, and the Department of Business Administration, providing students with professional and practical ESG management knowledge and familiarizing them with practical ESG management operations. After completing the program certificate, students have the opportunity to directly enter the sustainable management department of the listed companies.
Students who take this program must complete three core courses (9 credits) and two elective courses, totaling 15 credits, within the prescribed period of study as required by the Office of Academic Affairs. After completing the required credits and passing the review, students are awarded a program certificate.
The main focus of this program is environmental sustainability and social sustainability; through the implementation of courses, it promotes students’ civic consciousness and operational experience of sustainable issues.
(6) Field Trip
Our college incorporates industry practices, intelligent technology analysis tools, and sustainable development goals into our curriculum. Through corporate visits, discussions with industry practitioners, and project-oriented approaches, we guide students from different fields to analyze industry trends from various perspectives and propose innovative and practical solutions in areas such as new business models, industry trends, and social innovation for the future of enterprises.
(7)Dual Degree
In response to the third goal of COB/COF, which is to enhance students’ international mobility and establish international cooperation and environment, and to respond to the highly competitive internationalization of higher education, COB/COF actively builds a good international environment for higher education cooperation. Based on COB/COF’s energy to collaborate with well-known international schools or companies, we aim to enhance students’ international perspectives to effectively respond to industrial upgrading and social transformation. Since 2014, COB/COF has actively cooperated with foreign universities to become the first university in Taiwan to establish a 2+2 dual degree program. The number of students enrolled in the program is the highest in Taiwan. The existing 2+2 dual degree programs include the Business Data Analytics Dual Degree Program with San Jose State University in California, USA, and the Business Innovation Dual Degree Program with RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. In addition, we established the Bachelor’s program of International Business Administration in English in the 2021 academic year, which is taught entirely in English and covers the integration of transnational international management professionals. This program prepares students for international mobility in their fourth year, via which, we have added 3+N and 1+1 dual degree models during this certification period. The 3+N model allows fourth-year students at COB/COF to take graduate courses at sister schools, and those who perform outstandingly can directly enter the graduate school of that university after one year and obtain a master’s degree after one more year of study. Some cooperative universities also provide internship opportunities for students to intern locally for one year. The 1+1 model allows students to study at a foreign exchange school, and students can obtain master’s degrees from both schools upon graduation under the joint guidance of professors from both schools. Currently, COB/COF has 67 dual degree cases, and the cumulative number of graduates is 532.
Figure 3.6 shows the number of students who have applied for the dual degree program each year from the 2018 to 2021 academic years. The greatest number of applicants occurred in 2019, with 261 students. The number sharply dropped to around 200 students due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, as border restrictions are lifted, we believe the number of applicants will increase.