TAIPEI (TVBS News) — A coalition of education advocates has uncovered critical vulnerabilities in Taiwan's university admissions system that relies heavily on student-submitted academic portfolios, the Action Alliance on Basic Education (國教行動聯盟), a prominent education reform group, announced Thursday (Jun 5). The organization called for immediate structural changes after a high-profile case at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (陽明交通大學), one of Taiwan's premier research institutions, where administrators rescinded a coveted medical school acceptance after discovering multiple inconsistencies in a candidate's application materials.
University officials had disclosed their unprecedented decision just one day prior, explaining that numerous factual discrepancies discovered in the applicant's submission fundamentally undermined the integrity of the highly competitive selection process. The case gained widespread public attention after the disqualified student posted portions of their academic portfolio on various social media platforms, prompting online skeptics to challenge several achievement claims, particularly the student's assertion of having received the prestigious "Best Debater" award at a tournament widely recognized among Taiwan's top secondary schools.
In their analysis of potential reforms, the education advocacy group highlighted alternative models from neighboring countries, noting that South Korean secondary schools bear legal accountability for verifying student credentials, while American institutions employ dedicated professionals specifically trained in transcript and achievement verification. Taiwan's current system, however, places overwhelming administrative responsibilities on already-strained high school staff. The alliance presented concerning statistics from the most recent admissions cycle, revealing that of 78,000 total applicants for the 2024 academic year, universities advanced only 63,000 to secondary evaluation rounds, meaning approximately 15,000 students had their academic portfolios effectively disregarded without proper scrutiny.
As a concrete solution to the systemic vulnerabilities, the alliance proposed eliminating the controversial second-phase evaluation of student portfolios entirely, arguing that the current approach has transformed university admissions into what they characterize as an escalating competition where verification remains inadequate and opportunities unequal. Education advocates stressed that fundamental reforms must prioritize establishing comprehensive verification protocols and transparent assessment criteria to guarantee that all prospective students, regardless of their background or resources, can participate in a genuinely equitable admissions process. ◼