TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The campus of Changhua's decommissioned Chung Chou University of Science and Technology will be used for civil defense training, not as a military camp, the interior ministry said on Wednesday (Oct. 16).

The ministry issued a press release in response to a question submitted by Kuomintang Legislator Ko Chih-en (柯志恩), who asked if the decommissioned university would be repurposed as a national defense training site. 

“The Ministry of the Interior emphasizes that the site is for civil defense education, disaster prevention, and rescue training — not a ‘military camp,’ as alleged by the legislator,” the release said.

The ministry said that after the former university’s buildings are earthquake-strengthened and renovated, the site will be used to provide “social resilience training” for those in substitute military service, army reservists, local government workers, and related personnel.

The ministry said it received control of the campus from the education ministry after the university was decommissioned, and the site was selected for civil defense training based on the needs of the local area. 

Chung Chou University of Science and Technology was ordered to stop taking new enrollments in 2022 after it was found to be exploiting international students. The university was formally decommissioned in December 2023.