News Messenger

Taiwan’s Universities Get into the Start-Up Game

by Theodore Pigott, special correspondent

Will the next Facebook or Uber come from Taiwan? As the Ministry of Education prepares to propose a new amendment to the Legislative Yuan, many hope that the world’s next big start-up might come from one of Taiwan’s universities.

The proposed amendment would make changes to the University Act, specifically Article 38. These changes would make it possible for universities and research institutes to own start-up companies completely on their own. Perhaps even more importantly, it would also give Taiwan’s universities and research institutes complete control of any research carried out at these places.

Officials at most of Taiwan’s top universities welcome this amendment. In fact, many universities have already set up guidelines for these matters. National Tsing Hua University (NTHU), for example, has already established rules on patent application costs as well as limits on the revenue that can be earned by selling or licensing technology to an outside company. Other universities have also taken steps to promote start-ups in their institutions. National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), for one, established the Research and Services Headquarters in 1996 to promote research projects and collaboration in different areas. More recently, National Taiwan University (NTU) announced the formation of a start-up that is made up of professors and students at the school. NTU has also worked in collaboration with National Chengchi University (NCCU) and National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST) to teach students more about start-ups.

Not all university officials, however, praise the amendment. Some have warned that such an emphasis on business might take away from the purely scientific aspects of research. Others worry that some professors or researchers may end up using university or government funding to profit from their own projects.

2｜News Messenger

Overall, the new amendment seems likely to encourage start-ups at universities and research institutes in Taiwan. Who knows? Perhaps the world’s next big start-up may come from a Taiwan university, which would not only be good for that school but also for the Taiwanese economy and Taiwan in general.

Reading Comprehension

(   ) 1. According to the passage, what is one of the biggest effects of the new amendment’s proposed changes to the University Act?

(A) The amendment would allow universities to invest in start-up companies around Taiwan.

(B) Universities would be able to recruit top talent from other universities and start-ups.

(C) Universities will be able to own start-ups at their schools completely on their own.

(D) The article does not make it clear exactly what the effects of the amendment might be.

(   ) 2. The passage mentions several universities that are already involved in start-ups. Which of the following is NOT mentioned?

(A) National Chengchi University.                       (B) National Tsing Hua University.      

(C) National Cheng Kung University.                   (D) National Taiwan Normal University.

(   ) 3. Why have some university officials been critical of the new proposed amendment?

(A) They worry that the schools will not have enough money to fund new start-ups.

(B) They believe that it will cause students to drop out of school to work in a start-up.

(C) They are concerned that Taiwan does not have the technology to be successful when it comes to start-ups.

(D) They fear that the emphasis on business may distract researchers from focusing on research for the sake of science.

Vocabulary and Phrases

1. article [`ArtIkL] n. [C] 條款，條目 2. institute [`Inst1&tjut] n. [C] (研究等的)機構 3. guideline [`GaId&laIn] n. [C] 指導方針 4. patent [`p8tNt] n. [C][U] 專利(權)

5. revenue [`rEv1&nju] n. [C][U] (投資等的)收益 6. license [`laIsNs] vt. 許可，授權 7. institution [&Inst1`tjuS1n] n. [C] 機構；團體

Words for Recognition

1. start-up [`stArt&^p] n. [C] 新創企業，新創事業 2. amendment [1`mEndm1nt] n. [C] 修正案

3. Legislative Yuan  n. 立法院 4. the University Act  n. 大學法

News Messenger｜3

“The Big Issue Taiwan” Still Going Strong after 100 Editions

by Theodore Pigott, special correspondent

If you have ever spent any amount of time in Taiwan’s major cities, especially near universities or MRT stations, you may have seen people selling a special magazine. These vendors are often elderly, homelss, or disabled in some ways , and this __1__ is “The Big Issue Taiwan.”

The idea for “The Big Issue” actually began in the United Kingdom in 1991. It was in 2010, however, when the idea came to Taiwan. This is when the magazine’s current editor-in-chief, Fines Lee, was able to get a __2__ to start publishing the magazine in Taiwan.

“The Big Issue Taiwan” follows the same model as the UK version. The magazine is meant to encourage “social enterprise,” which means making a social impact instead of focusing solely on making a profit. In Taiwan, this means that only certain people, usually those who are homeless or have disabilities, can sell the magazine. These vendors buy the magazine for NT$50 a __3__, but can sell it for NT$100 a copy and keep the profit made. They can also return any copies that are unsold at the end of the month and pick up new issues to sell in exchange. The magazine currently has a circulation of 30,000, and it is targeted mainly at Taiwanese young people between the ages of 20 to 35.

Most vendors of “The Big Issue Taiwan” enjoy their work. For some, it provides them with an opportunity to make some extra money to help make ends meet. For others, it gives them the opportunity to interact with people in a friendly, positive way. In fact, some sellers have __4__ customers who buy from them each month.

For his part , Lee hopes that “The Big Issue Taiwan” will be able to continue to expand to even more places in Taiwan. Currently, the magazine, which published its 100th edition in July, makes a slight profit, and it has just embarked on an ambitious plan to send 100 volunteers around Taiwan to promote the magazine.

It’s clear that “The Big Issue Taiwan” has made—and continues to make—a big impact on Taiwan, in a very __5__ way.

Fill in the Blanks

(A) copy	(B) license	(C) positive	(D) regular	(E) magazine
(1)__________	(2)__________	(3)__________	(4)__________	(5)__________

Vocabulary and Phrases

4｜News Messenger   1. vendor [`vEnd2] n. [C] 街頭的小販，攤販 2. disabled [dIs`ebLd] adj. 殘疾的 3. solely [`sollI] adv. 唯獨，僅只 4. disability [&dIs1`bIl1tI] n. [C] 殘疾 5. circulation [&s3kj1`leS1n] n. [C] 發行量，銷售量

6. make ends meet  phr. 使收支平衡 7. interact [&Int2`8kt] vi. 互動 8. expand [Ik`sp8nd] vi. 擴展 9. ambitious [8m`bIS1s] adj. 胸懷大志的

Words for Recognition

1. editor-in-chief [`EdIt2In`tSIf] n. [C] 主編，總編輯

2. unsold [^n`sold] adj. 沒賣出去的

Did You Know?

Day of the Dead, also called Día de los Muertos in Spanish, is a day of remembrance for lost loved ones and is celebrated in Mexico and other parts of Latin America annually on November 1 and November 2. Check out the following list to learn some related words and phrases:

Day of the Dead / Día de los Muertos　亡靈節

skull　骷髏頭　　skeleton　骷髏　　spirit　幽靈

casket　靈柩　　grave　墳墓　　cemetery　公墓

pray　祈禱　　mourn　悼念　　remembrance　追思

altar　祭壇　　vigil　守夜　　gathering　聚會

parade　遊行　　costume　(化妝遊行的)服裝

Monarch butterfly　帝王蝶　　marigold　萬壽菊

candle　蠟燭　　offering　供品，祭品

tobacco　菸草　　candy　糖果

photograph　照片　　relic　遺物

deceased　已逝的　　departed　去世的

relative　親戚　　ancestor　祖先

pass away　去世

mortality　終有一死

Scan the picture with COCOAR2 or visit https://goo.gl/pwakrA to learn more information!

閱讀測驗解答：1. C  2. D  3. D

文意選填解答：1. E  2. B  3. A  4. D  5. C

Translation

News Messenger｜5

臺灣各家大學進入新創企業競賽

下一家臉書或優步會來自臺灣嗎？隨著教育部準備向立法院提案修法，許多人希望，下一個世界大型新創公司可能來自臺灣的大學。

擬議的修正案將修改大學法，特別是第38條。修法後，大學和研究機構將可以完全獨資擁有新創公司。也許更重要的是，臺灣的大學和研究機構能完全掌控在這些地點所進行的研究。

臺灣多數頂尖大學校方對此一修正案表示歡迎。事實上，許多大學已經針對此事制定了指導方針。例如，國立清華大學已經擬定專利申請費用的規章，並針對技術出售或授權給外部公司使用，設定可賺取的營收上限。其他大學也已採取措施，鼓勵內部成立新創企業。國立成功大學就是一例，該校於1996年設立研究總中心，以促進不同領域的研究和合作。最近，國立臺灣大學宣布成立一個由校內的教授和學生組成的新創團隊。臺大還與國立政治大學和國立臺灣科技大學合作，教導學生對新創企業更加有所認識。

然而，並非所有大學都讚賞此一修正案。有些人提出警告，如此強調商業可能會有損於研究的純科學面向。有些人則擔心部分教授或研究人員可能後來會利用大學或政府資金來從其研究項目中圖利。

總體而言，修法似乎能鼓勵臺灣的大學和研究機構成立新創企業。誰知道呢？也許下一個世界大型新創企業就出自臺灣的大學，而這不僅對校方有益，對臺灣經濟和臺灣整體也有利。

《臺灣大誌雜誌》出刊百期持續茁壯

如果您曾在臺灣的各大城市停留，特別是在大學或捷運站附近，您可能看過有人兜售一種特殊的雜誌。這些街頭小販常常是老人、遊民或身障人士，而這本雜誌是《臺灣大誌雜誌》。

《大誌雜誌》的構想其實創始於1991年的英國。然而這個想法來到臺灣是在2010年，現任總編輯李取中當時申請到了在臺灣出版該雜誌的許可。

《臺灣大誌雜誌》採用與英國版相同的模式。這份雜誌的用意是鼓勵「社會企業」，這代表要產生社會影響，而非僅專注於獲利。在臺灣，這意味著只有特定人士—通常是那些無家可歸或身有殘疾的人—才能販售這份雜誌。這些小販以一本50元的價格買進雜誌，但可以100元販售，所賺取的利潤則歸他們所有。他們還可以在月底退回未售出的雜誌，交換新的一期來販售。該雜誌目前的發行量為3萬份，主要的銷售對象為20至35歲之間的臺灣年輕族群。

大多數在街頭販售《臺灣大誌雜誌》的小販都喜歡他們的工作。對某些人來說，這讓他們有機會賺取額外收入來維持收支平衡。對另一些人而言，這則讓他們有機會以友好、正面的方式與人們互動。事實上，有些小販有每月前來光顧的常客。

就李取中而言，他希望《臺灣大誌雜誌》能繼續擴展到臺灣更多地方。目前，這份雜誌小有利潤，已在7月出版了第100期，且剛展開一項雄心勃勃的計畫，派遣100名志工到臺灣各地推廣該雜誌。

顯然《臺灣大誌雜誌》已經以非常正面積極的方式，對臺灣產生—且將持續產生—巨大的影響。