Crises for Private Higher Education in Taiwan? A Conjunctural Analysis

Abstract

Private higher education (PHE) in Taiwan, similar to other East Asian systems, is a distinct sector that has played several significant roles. It experienced growth and prosperity during the massification of the entire higher education system. However, a multitude of emerging circumstances has ushered in dramatic changes and crises, impacting not only PHE but also the entire sector as a whole. These ongoing developments have the potential to fundamentally reshape the current components and structures of Taiwanese higher education. Therefore, we have adopted conjunctural analysis as a methodological approach to examine these forces and their effects on the evolving role of the private sector in the context of higher education system reconfigurations in Taiwan. Our findings reveal that PHE has faced a series of crises, encompassing demographic shifts, financial challenges, and legal complexities. The pursuit of greater “publicness” and the implementation of intervention measures through policy enactment and legal regulations have shifted the entire system toward a more “publicized” configuration. This new direction marks the onset of a new era in Taiwanese higher education.