TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology is facing controversy after a final exam in its Department of Aquaculture was in simplified Chinese, while a faculty member's business card listed “Taiwan Province, China.”

The Ministry of Education said that using simplified Chinese in exams is “inappropriate,” and the business card “clearly undermines the nation's dignity.” The incident will be recorded as an administrative flaw and used as the basis for reducing subsidies, per CNA.

The controversy began with the final exam for the Department of Aquaculture's animal Histology course, which was entirely in simplified Chinese. The MOE said university exam papers should follow standards issued by the National Development Council and use standard fonts.

In an earlier statement, the university explained that the course lacked available traditional Chinese textbooks. The instructor used materials from English and Chinese versions but inadvertently incorporated practice questions from a Chinese textbook.

The MOE said it was concerned about potential copyright violations. It will direct the university to investigate whether plagiarism occurred, whether the instructor violated ethical standards, and whether the fairness of student assessments was compromised.

Meanwhile, an individual posted a business card from “Chen Jun-liu (陳俊六), Department of Chemical Materials Alumni Association President,” which identified him as an adjunct professor. It listed his address as “Taiwan Province, China, Kaohsiung City,” sparking online debate.

The university said that alumni printing their own business cards is a personal decision, and the school should remain neutral, respecting an individual’s freedom of expression, per CNA. The MOE will instruct the university to ensure that all faculty business cards accurately reflect the country’s name.

In an interview, Chen said that he saw no problem with the label on his card. He called on people to stop further dividing the community, per CTEE.