Abstract
<p>Higher education expansion is not a new development in the world. Different countries have faced various contexts and factors that push the expansion to occur. Since 1996, the Taiwanese government has allowed the private sector to open new higher education institutions or be upgraded for open more access at the higher education level to correspond to the general public’s educational expectations. This article starts by describing the expansion of higher education from the elite to universal stage both globally and locally. The article then specifically introduces the case of the doctoral manpower structure in Taiwan and lists three specific scenarios regarding local PhDs’ reality in the current competitive job market, highlighting the further talent fault crisis in society today. In addition to discussing the consequences and challenges at the doctoral level of talent cultivation, the article further identifies the main issues facing the current manpower planning in Taiwan. The article calls for all stakeholders of the agenda to rethink the purpose of doctoral manpower cultivation in Taiwan over the long run.</p>
Highlights
In recent decades, access to tertiary education has expanded remarkably, involving new types of institutions that offer more choices and new modes of delivery (OECD, 2008)
As there is nearly no limit for individuals to access higher education and even advanced degrees, people try their best to study for long as possible. When it comes to a universal higher education system, the Taiwanese are trying to increase their expectations in terms of access to graduate school
The research pointed out that motivation for these Taiwanese degree pursuers stemmed from degrees being “easy to get”; they did not care if it is worth investing their money and time in or if the degree guarantees a decent job after school (Chen, 2011)
Summary
Access to tertiary education has expanded remarkably, involving new types of institutions that offer more choices and new modes of delivery (OECD, 2008). American sociologist Martin Trow elaborated on three aspects of higher education growth: the rate of growth, change in the absolute size both of systems and institutions, and changes in the proportion of the relevant age cohort enrolled. Expanding access to and linking tertiary education to the demands in the labor market are vital steps to building a knowledge-based economy (OECD, 2014). And politically, countries with educated people and highly schooled elites could build a future out of expanded “human capital” to manage society rationally. This article uses the rapid expansion in Taiwan’s higher education as a case to discuss the consequences. Vol 6, No 1; 2016 that Taiwanese society is facing since the higher education expansion in order to bring attention to the relevant stakeholders’ beliefs about the further possibility of improving the current condition
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