UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SIGNS MOU WITH MOE|專訪南加大校長:台美教育合作.言論自由

USC, University of Southern California, known for its great business, journalism, engineering program, has more than 4000 Taiwanese Alumni. Recently, President of the USC, Max Nikias visited Taiwan and signed a new ''memorandum of understanding'' with our Ministry of Education, in hopes of strengthening bilateral cooperation and exchanges. During his visit, Good Morning Taiwan also had a chance to sit-down with him, let's take a look at our interview. ==STELLA TU Good Morning Taiwan Anchor== Can you tell us your purpose of the trip and what kind of cooperation should we expect from USC and the Ministry of Education in Taiwan? ==MAX NIKIAS President of the University of Southern California== We did sign a new MOU to collaborate (with MOE) in the area of post doctorate fellows to visit the university and work in the area of digital media or work in the area of defense projects or even in the area of new energy sources and sustainability, so it will be a great great experience and great training for them. ==STELLA TU Good Morning Taiwan Anchor== There has been report that USC has a price tag of at least US$51,000 for tuition which marks USC in the running of the unofficial title of the most expensive place in the United States to get a college degree. Do you think it is fair that some call it the school for the rich and wealthy? ==MAX NIKIAS, President of the University of Southern California== That is not true. I will have to correct the record because if you.... We are an expensive university, however, we are also the university that offers the largest financial aid pool in the country, as compared to any other university. US$330 million dollars per year we offer in the form of financial aid to students. 25 percent of our undergraduate students are Pell Grants recipients, which means these are the kids that come from underprivileged families. ==STELLA TU, Good Morning Taiwan Anchor== Previously, President Trump raised the threat of pulling out the federal funds of UC Berkeley after they canceled the speech of Milo Ianappolous. What is your take on it and what would your school do differently in that kind of situation? ==MAX NIKIAS, President of the University of Southern California== First of all, it's part of our core values that we go out of our way to protect the freedom of speech and freedom of expression. And I believe that's what makes our campuses including USC very unique as you compare our university with the rest of the world. So protecting the freedom of speech and freedom of expression, and especially speech that could make people uncomfortable, we go out of our way to protect that.