Since November 2018, Datong Community College (DCC) in Taipei City, Taiwan, and Yuanpei University of Medical Technology (YUMT) in nearby Hsinchu City, have carried out an assessment of the contribution of the university to regional development in the field of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). Yuanpei University of Medical Technology firstly used the "How good is your community?” benchmarking evaluation toolkit provided by PASCAL to conduct self-assessment in each of eight domains of engagement.

Hsinchu City Councilor, Dr. Rickie Cheng, Prof. Michael Osbome, Prof. Roberta Piazza, Principal of DCC Taipei city, Dr. Eugenia Chang on March 11, 2019

During several months of internal evaluation until February 2019, YUMT completed the relevant elements for campus benchmarking. In the process of internal self-assessment, where YUMT faced any difficulties in knowing the spirit of benchmarking, they were guided and advised by PASCAL Deputy Chair, John Tibbitt.

PASCAL Expert interview at YUMT on 11 March 2019

The original assessment framework for assessment is in English, and in translating it into Mandarin, several concepts were difficult to understand, and only through discussion with John Tibbitt, were we able to clarify and re-interpret these. We were also not always how we should rate each item on the 1-3 scale and again the advice of PASCAL was important.

Dr. Marten Ma (Organiser of the Benchmarking Exercise at YUMT), Dr. Frank Yeh, (Special committee chair, YUMT), Prof. Michael Osborne (PASCAL, University of Glasgow),  Prof.Chih-Cheng Lin (President of YUMT) Prof. Roberta Piazza (PASCAL, University of Catania), Dr. Pay-Fan Lin, Dean, Prof. Hsiao-Ling Huang, Dr. Hank Wu (all YUMT), Sam Brooks (Interpreter) on 11 March 2011

In March 2019, PASCAL experts, Professor Mike Osborne and Professor Roberta Piazza visited YUMT and conducted in-depth discussions with internal and external stakeholders. These included policymakers, such as the speaker of Hsinchu City Council and City Councilors of from various parts of the region, as well as staff at management level in YUMT’s administrative units and teaching departments, including the international director and special committee members. The final part of the PASCAL visit included a workshop attended by more than 70 directors and group leaders in university at which the PASCAL experts discussed their initial conclusions from the assessment of TVET benchmarking work and interviews.

PASCAL presentation at the Executive Council of YUMT on March 12, 2019

The benchmarking tool used has 8 domains within which there are 51 sub-domains, such as: social impact, disadvantaged group, social justice, environmental friendly, internship, and whether the university establishes communication channels with government agencies and works together to solve regional and community problems. After interviews with the community stakeholders and with representatives of the several departments the PASCAL team concluded that there are strengths in all aspects of Yuanpei University of Medical Technology’s engagement with communities. They suggested, however that YUMT can strengthen the University's assessment of engagement by using more robust measurement measurement tools so that they can quantify aspects of the data. Also given the clear focus of the university in supporting the health of the ageing population in the city, they can do more to enhance adults in collaborative working within the university, for example using their experience to mentor young students. Many retired professionals have high level skills that they can share with these students. This is just one way in which the competitiveness of vocationally oriented universities can be enhanced and at the same time play a social role.

The introduction of the work of PASCAL to the Executive Council in YUMT

After the benchmarking work, YUMT felt that through the internal evaluation and the interaction of external stakeholders, the interaction between YUMT and regional urban development can be made clearer, and it is clear that the vocational University should be based on the technical position. Training to enhance the internal and external benign interactions to enhance employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in the regional cities and sustainable economic development.

This work was supported in part by the University of Glasgow’s ESRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA), ES/M500471/1. The University of Glasgow is also grateful for support provided by partners in Taiwan led by Eugenia Chang, President of Datong Community College, Taipei.