Tainan Theological College Draws Students From Around The World
Taiwan Church News SPECIAL 28 April 2006
Written by David Alexander
The applications came in and acceptance letters went out to 13 students from Africa, Asia, Canada and the Pacific who will come to Tainan in September to study for advanced Theological degrees. Church leaders from Madagascar, Myanmar, India, Pakistan, Korea, Thailand, Samoa, Kiribati, and Canada have enrolled for certificate, Masters and Doctoral studies programmes taught in the English language.
From its founding in 1976 until 1994 all courses were offered only in local languages. But 12 years ago the college began to accept up to 6 foreign students annually for a certificate programme. They have come from as near as Hong Kong, and as far as Guyana. In 2003 a Master of Theology (M.Th.) degree programme was instituted. The number of overseas students rose to 8. In September of 2005 ten came to Tainan from Samoa, American Samoa, Myanmar, Malaysia, Korea, Malawi, Madagascar and Botswana.
Khin Hla, from Myanmar, will be unique among the incoming students. He will work on a Doctor of Theology degree within the South East Asia Graduate School of Theology, which operates in a de-centralized fashion across the region. Nei Bwa Eria from Kiribati and Chirayu Manlika from Thailand will pursue a certificate course in mission studies. The remaining 10 all will be on the M.Th. track.
Teachers for these programmes are, for the most part, from Taiwan. Dr. M. P. Joseph, an Indian, and Dr. Augustine Musopole, a Malawian, are jointly appointed to the college and Chang Jung Christian University Visiting scholars offer elective courses. Last year these included Dr. K. C. Abraham from India, Dr. Rienzie Perera from Sri Lanka and Dr. Elizabeth Tapia from the Philippines.
Tainan Theological College was established in 1876 by Scottish missionaries under the auspices of the English Presbyterian Church. Since 1947 all presidents and most faculty have been Taiwanese church leaders, theologians and scholars. For more information: +886 6 237 1291 ext 103 or email alexa@mail.ttcs.org.tw