History and Development
History, Development, and Admissions Overview
The Graduate Institute of Education at National Cheng Kung University was officially established in early 1996 (Academic Year 85 of the Republic of China) with the approval to offer a master’s program. Over the past 29 years, the institute has steadily expanded, increasing its annual master’s enrollment from 12 students at its inception to 22 students in recent years.
As faculty members also contribute to secondary teacher education programs, the institute emphasizes both educational theory and practical experience. Its mission is to cultivate educational scholars, professional educators, educational technology specialists, and school counselors. The curriculum is systematically organized into required courses, specialized courses, and foundational and methodological courses. It undergoes revision every two years, with curriculum committee meetings held each semester to ensure academic rigor and responsiveness to students’ learning needs.
In recognition of its strong performance in teaching and research, the institute was approved by the Ministry of Education in 2005 to establish a doctoral program, with admissions beginning in the 2006 academic year. The doctoral program typically enrolls 4 to 5 students annually. The institute is committed to fostering high-quality educational professionals by encouraging collaboration, critical thinking, reflection, and independent research, while ensuring that students integrate theory with practice.
Faculty research has also shown significant progress. With well-developed academic expertise across research areas, comprehensive curricula, and adequate educational facilities, the institute has built a strong research environment. In 2004, it received the university’s “Outstanding Research Performance Award – Best Improvement.” Faculty members have actively engaged in research projects in collaboration with organizations such as the National Science and Technology Council, the Ministry of Education, the Department of Health (Executive Yuan), and Microsoft. Between Academic Years 2019 and 2023, a total of 20 research projects were completed, and more than 130 academic publications were produced. Annual teaching and research evaluations, incorporating both quantitative data and qualitative reflection, further support continuous improvement and educational reform.
Admissions to the master’s program have remained competitive in recent years. In 2019, there were 95 applicants, of whom 26 were admitted, resulting in an acceptance rate of 27.40%. In 2020, 88 applicants competed for 22 positions, with an acceptance rate of 25.00%. In 2021, 73 applicants applied, and 22 were admitted, yielding an acceptance rate of 30.14%. In 2022, there were 81 applicants and 22 admissions, with an acceptance rate of 27.16%. In 2023, the number of applicants increased to 97, while admissions remained at 22, resulting in an acceptance rate of 22.68%.
Similarly, the doctoral program maintains selective admissions with smaller cohorts. In 2019, there were 18 applicants and 4 admissions, corresponding to an acceptance rate of 22.20%. In 2020, 16 applicants competed for 4 positions, with an acceptance rate of 25.00%. In 2021, there were 20 applicants and 4 admissions, yielding an acceptance rate of 20.00%. In 2022, 17 applicants applied and 3 were admitted, resulting in an acceptance rate of 17.65%. In 2023, the number of applicants decreased to 10, while 5 students were admitted, leading to an acceptance rate of 50.00%.
In addition to strengthening curriculum and research, the institute actively promotes international engagement. Students are encouraged to participate in international conferences, submit papers to global academic forums, and join exchange programs abroad. The institute also places strong emphasis on foreign language proficiency by offering English-medium courses and encouraging students to take language proficiency tests, thereby enhancing their global competitiveness.
The Graduate Institute of Education at National Cheng Kung University was officially established in early 1996 (Academic Year 85 of the Republic of China) with the approval to offer a master’s program. Over the past 29 years, the institute has steadily expanded, increasing its annual master’s enrollment from 12 students at its inception to 22 students in recent years.
As faculty members also contribute to secondary teacher education programs, the institute emphasizes both educational theory and practical experience. Its mission is to cultivate educational scholars, professional educators, educational technology specialists, and school counselors. The curriculum is systematically organized into required courses, specialized courses, and foundational and methodological courses. It undergoes revision every two years, with curriculum committee meetings held each semester to ensure academic rigor and responsiveness to students’ learning needs.
In recognition of its strong performance in teaching and research, the institute was approved by the Ministry of Education in 2005 to establish a doctoral program, with admissions beginning in the 2006 academic year. The doctoral program typically enrolls 4 to 5 students annually. The institute is committed to fostering high-quality educational professionals by encouraging collaboration, critical thinking, reflection, and independent research, while ensuring that students integrate theory with practice.
Faculty research has also shown significant progress. With well-developed academic expertise across research areas, comprehensive curricula, and adequate educational facilities, the institute has built a strong research environment. In 2004, it received the university’s “Outstanding Research Performance Award – Best Improvement.” Faculty members have actively engaged in research projects in collaboration with organizations such as the National Science and Technology Council, the Ministry of Education, the Department of Health (Executive Yuan), and Microsoft. Between Academic Years 2019 and 2023, a total of 20 research projects were completed, and more than 130 academic publications were produced. Annual teaching and research evaluations, incorporating both quantitative data and qualitative reflection, further support continuous improvement and educational reform.
Admissions to the master’s program have remained competitive in recent years. In 2019, there were 95 applicants, of whom 26 were admitted, resulting in an acceptance rate of 27.40%. In 2020, 88 applicants competed for 22 positions, with an acceptance rate of 25.00%. In 2021, 73 applicants applied, and 22 were admitted, yielding an acceptance rate of 30.14%. In 2022, there were 81 applicants and 22 admissions, with an acceptance rate of 27.16%. In 2023, the number of applicants increased to 97, while admissions remained at 22, resulting in an acceptance rate of 22.68%.
Similarly, the doctoral program maintains selective admissions with smaller cohorts. In 2019, there were 18 applicants and 4 admissions, corresponding to an acceptance rate of 22.20%. In 2020, 16 applicants competed for 4 positions, with an acceptance rate of 25.00%. In 2021, there were 20 applicants and 4 admissions, yielding an acceptance rate of 20.00%. In 2022, 17 applicants applied and 3 were admitted, resulting in an acceptance rate of 17.65%. In 2023, the number of applicants decreased to 10, while 5 students were admitted, leading to an acceptance rate of 50.00%.
In addition to strengthening curriculum and research, the institute actively promotes international engagement. Students are encouraged to participate in international conferences, submit papers to global academic forums, and join exchange programs abroad. The institute also places strong emphasis on foreign language proficiency by offering English-medium courses and encouraging students to take language proficiency tests, thereby enhancing their global competitiveness.
