TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The enrollment rates for 19 universities and colleges dropped below 60% for the 2022 academic year amid dwindling birth rates, according to the Ministry of Education.

These include Chinese Culture University (58.9%) and Chang Jung Christian University (53.5%). Among the struggling is MingDao University, which admitted merely 39.47% of the students it had expected to enroll and its enrollment rates have logged lower than 60% for three years in a row, per UDN.

This has painted a gloomy picture for Taiwan’s tertiary education, with more universities and colleges failing to reach a 60% enrollment rate.

Meanwhile, nine universities and colleges registered a 100% enrollment for 2022, including two theological institutions. The seven other schools are the National Tsing Hua University, National Cheng Kung University, National Chung Hsing University, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, National Central University, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, and National Taiwan University of Science and Technology.

National Taiwan University, perceived as the top university in Taiwan, recorded 99.9% enrollment.

Taiwan has one of the lowest birth rates in the world, logging 0.98 in 2021. The shrinking population is taking a toll on schools of all levels and the labor force, with 65% of businesses suffering talent shortages, the high-tech sector among the biggest hit, according to a survey released earlier this month.