Learning Resources

Special Places at Which to Gain Firsthand Experience

Medical Simulation Center

Tzu Chi University inspires students to respect all living beings, develop their potential to the fullest, and also prepares them to be compassionate and competent physicians. Moreover, to promote willing body donations for medical education, TCU appeals to the public that “We don’t possess anything; we only have the right to use them.”

To assist medical interns in acquiring surgical skills before operating on real patients, TCU pioneered simulation surgery, and invited experienced attending physicians to guide students to carry out tracheostomies, placement of central venous catheters, chest tube insertions, hysterectomies, etc.

In addition to enhancing students’ surgical skills, TCU’s simulation surgery program also focuses on the humanistic aspect of life. It instills gratitude, respect and love into the hearts of participants, and thus has received widespread attention from many professionals around the world. Richard Madsen, a distinguished Professor in Sociology at UC San Diego, studied Taiwan’s numerous Buddhist organizations, and went to great lengths to praise TCU’s program in his book, Democracy’s Dharma, published in 2007. In February 2009, due to the introduction of this book, Mr. Ian Johnson, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, came to observe the operation of this program, in person, for twelve days, and wrote a front-page story entitled “Poems and Tears for 'Silent Mentors' Spark a Surge of Cadavers in Taiwan” in the Wall Street Journal on April 22, 2009.

Precious Instrument Center

The Center has eight core facilities, namely the Flow Cytomentry Lab, DNA Analysis Lab, General Instrument Lab, Electron Microscopy Lab, Confocal & Fluorescence Microscopy Lab, Nano-biomedical Lab, Protein Analysis Lab, and Animal Surgery and Behavior Study Lab, with more than thirty sets of instruments.

It is convenient, fast and easy to use the facilities that are manned by technicians such as the electron microscopy, nano-biomedical, protein analysis and animal surgery and behavioral study laboratories. Other core facilities are open 24 hours to provide convenient access. Web booking for using the equipment is also provided.

To enhance the skills needed for using the instruments, the Center orchestrates a number of education and training sessions each year. For first time user, the staff of the Office of Research and Development also provides one-to-one instruction upon request. Moreover, the Center provides a VOD multimedia system to potential users.

Tzu Chi University is also devoted to the maintenance and up scaling of the facilities to facilitate the research needs in the campus.

Laboratory Animal Center

Laboratory Animal Center is a core facility to support the animal studies in the campus under the supervision of Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). The Center does not only provide humane animal care and veterinary care program but also operates various training programs for animal users.  For example, on-line modules for either beginners or for continue education; on-hand training for drug administration and sampling from specific species; one-on-one counseling on breeding techniques and management for genetic modified rodents; etc. In other words, Laboratory Animal Center is a resource to increase the reproducibility of animal studies; to reduce the use of animals; as well as to minimize the pain of animals by every mean.  In addition, this animal facility also has the environment for biosafety level 2 animal studies.

TCU Center for Health and Welfare Data Science Center

In recent years, research associated with using large amounts of healthcare data has been gaining in popularity. In 2009, the Ministry of Health and Welfare founded the Health and Welfare Data Science Center, to promote information sharing in healthcare, reduce duplication of effort, and protect personal health records.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare has founded numerous regional centers, and TCU Center was the eighth one, after Yang Ming University Center. TCU Center is the first one in eastern Taiwan. 

Tzu Chi Research Center provides a wide range of applications, such as the National Health Insurance Research Database, Cause of Death Database, Aboriginal birth and death Database, Taiwan Cancer Registry, National Health Interview Survey Database, and Rare Disease Notification databases. It is of great help to researchers who use the health database for analysis, using individual health data, adding value to promote medical-related academic research, including Tzu Chi University, Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology, and Hualien Tzu Chi General Hospital, academic research talents and resources in eastern tertiary institutions and medical institutions, in order to enhance the academic energy and service industries in the east.

Media Production & Education Center

The Media Production & Education Center is located on the 12th floor of Da-Ai Building on the Main Campus. Its television production studio and production control room were used by Da-Ai TV before being transferred to Tzu Chi University (TCU). These facilities enable faculty members and students to have hands-on at every step of recording live television or news programs. Thus, the students can learn lighting, costuming, scenic design, makeup, hosting, directing, sound and video engineering, post-production editing, etc. These practical experiences will help prepare them for the workplace.

Tzu Chi Foundation sets up offices around the world to serve the needy, carrying out its missions of charity, medicine, education and equanimity. TCU benefits from Tzu Chi Foundation’s global resources; TCU is also happy to be associated with Da-Ai TV, an affiliate of Tzu Chi Foundation. Da-Ai TV plans to transfer its second set of production control equipment to TCU. Moreover, TCU will install television production equipment at Performance Hall in the Da-Ai Building. Then, audiences can enjoy live performances in Performance Hall, and viewers elsewhere can watch its live broadcasts.

The advancement of information technology will speed up the popularity of high-definition television, so TCU intends to work out feasible ways to acquire HD studio cameras, a TV database, HD television studio equipment and other accessories in the years ahead.

Drug Testing Center

To prevent drug abuse and enhance the well-being of society, the Center was founded in 1998, and obtained authorization from the Ministry of Health in 1999, to provide drug testing and analysis services.

Our certified services cover:

  1. 1999: Testing opiates (morphine and codeine) and amphetamines (amphetamine and methyl amphetamine)
  2. 2000: Testing MDMA & MDA and THC
  3. 2007: Testing ketamine

On January 12, 2011, Tzu Chi University was invited by the Ministry of Justice to be a member of the drug testing network, to assist in drug testing.

The Center has provided drug testing services to numerous institutions:

  • The law enforcement agencies, prisons, and District Prosecutors Office in eastern Taiwan.
  • Hualien Tzu Chi General Hospital, Hualien Armed Forces General Hospital. 
  • Taiwan Railway Administration, bus companies, Taiwan Power Company and its contractors.
  • The Taipei City Government Department of Education, for carrying out urine testing in 2008 & 2009.
  • The Ministry of Education, from 2011 to the present, for testing urine of over 10,000 students per year.

The Center is determined to train drug testing professionals in Taiwan, to raise the levels of clinical laboratory work and forensic science.

TCU Radio / FM 88.3

TCU Radio provides students the opportunity to acquire skills and knowledge related to radio broadcasting. TCU Radio also wishes to serve TCU’s faculty members, staff and students, as well as other members of Tzu Chi schools, local residents or community organizations, through its programs.

  1.  TCU Radio facilities:
    • The transmitter is located on the 9th floor, Qin-Geng Building, Area E. The transmitting antenna is on the top floor, Qin-Geng Building, Area D.
    • The broadcast studio is in rooms L1212, L1211 and L1210 of Da-Ai Building.
    • The equipment room and post-production room are in room L1213, Da-Ai Building.
    • The administrative office is in rooms L1208-L1209, Da-Ai Building.
  2. TCU Radio airs on 88.3 FM.
  3. TCU Radio broadcasts across Hualien City and its surrounding towns.
  4. TCU Radio’s target audiences are TCU’s faculty members, staff and students, along with members of other Tzu Chi schools, and residents of Hualien City and its surrounding towns.
  5. Our team:
    • The Director is responsible for daily operations.
    • The Technical Specialist is accountable for maintaining equipment, transmitting and broadcasting; moreover, he/she assists the Director in managing administrative, equipment, financial and program-related matters.
    • Student staffs carry out audio production, education and training sessions, equipment management and station promotion.

Other Resources

Chinese Language Center

Chinese Language Center  of Tzu Chi University was founded based on the spirit of the school’s founder, Master Cheng Yen. Her spirit of “Great Compassion To people and great mercy for all” guides the center. Our aim is to enhance students’ understanding of the language and culture of great love, and to develop the sense of gratitude. Through learning language, people can better understand and respect each other.

Goal

  • To provide Mandarin courses in traditional Chinese with listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.
  • To enhance the students’ understanding of the Chinese culture.
  • To inspire students with Tzu Chi spirit of great love, gratitude, respect for each other, and care for everyone.
  • To train Mandarin teachers with Tzu Chi huamnities.

Contact

  • TEL: Tel：(886)3-857-2677, ext 1681-1683
  • FAX ：(886)3-846-6065
  • E-Mail: cltc@mail.tcu.edu.tw
  • Address：67, Jieren Street, Hualien 97074, Taiwan

Tzu Chi members and people who referred by Tzu Chi members to learn Mandarin in TCU Chinese Language Center, both enjoy 10% tuition fee off now!!

Please click the link below to view our course information, and get ready to apply our Seasonal Mandarin Course(including regular and short term courses) or 40 hours and above individual class at 10% tuition fee off!

Welcome to Learn Mandarin at TCU Taiwan and experience the beauty of Chinese culture at first hand.

Library

Our library is a beautiful three-story building that houses 208,068 books, 17,354 audio-visual aids, 672 periodicals or journals, and 40,676 digital journals (from data last collected in March, 2008). Each floor has bright, comfortable reading areas for students to get work done. The library is linked to a network of libraries throughout Taiwan providing more resources for every student.