Universities in an Era of Fewer Births: From Enrollment Numbers to Global Competitiveness

Originally published 2022-10-26Robin’s commentary (as of October 2022, citing reported figures)

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English translation of the Chinese post originally published 2022-10-26. Translated 2026-10-31 with AI assistance. Historical figures and claims have not been updated or independently verified. 中文原文

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Robin cites reported figures: Taiwan would have just over 130,000 births in 2022, compared with nearly 270,000 university entrants in 2015 and roughly 240,000 in 2017. By 2040, the incoming cohort would fall to about 130,000; he argues that university numbers would have to fall by at least half relative to 2015. Universities should move beyond enrollment numbers toward developing each student’s global competitiveness and mobility. Just as investment should be assessed not only for profitability but for impact, greater impact can create greater future value.

Key points

Reported births of just over 130,000 point to a sharp decline in university entrants by 2040.
Universities should shift from enrollment numbers to developing competitiveness.
Develop students’ global mobility and influence.
Assess investment for impact, not only profitability.

A magnifying lens examines layered signals and data textures, suggesting technological exploration and judgment. — Trends & technologyThematic illustration · AI generated

Full text — English translation

Sometimes our thinking needs to keep pace with the times. A major trend: declining birthrates are hard to reverse. Births in Taiwan for the whole of 2022 are about 130,000-plus. Nearly 270,000 new students entered university in 2015, and about 240,000 in 2017. But when the babies born in 2022 reach university age in 2040, the pool will be only 130,000. Compared with 2015, at least half of Taiwan’s universities would therefore have to close. With this broad trend, universities should shift away from each institution thinking in terms of student numbers. Focus instead on making every student more globally competitive and mobile. Will graduates of Taiwan’s universities have sufficient influence on the world in the future? After all, in investing today, we ask not only whether an investment is profitable but how much impact it can create. The greater the impact, the greater the value it can create in the future. https://vip.udn.com/vip/story/122866/6713669?from=redpush

These articles are personal notes, book excerpts, and collected reprints. Figures and events reflect the time of the original publication, are not current information, and do not constitute investment advice.

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