In recent years, tertiary education institutions have faced the challenge of a shortage of students due to the lower birth rate. To ensure that students' rights to education are not affected by Higher Education Institutions’ administrative cost-cutting measures to counter the decrease in enrollment, such as merging of classes and reduction of teachers and staff, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has launched the Guidelines for Student Rights to Education in Junior Colleges and Higher Education Institutions. These guidelines aim to establish a mechanism that ensures the quality of education imparted in tertiary educational institutions is as per prescribed standards. Since 2014, the MOE has commissioned the Higher Education Evaluation and Accreditation Council of Taiwan (HEEACT) to implement the Project for the Protection of Student Rights to Education in Junior Colleges and Higher Education Institutions (also known as the Project for the Protection of Student Rights to Education).

To implement the project, HEEACT conducts document reviews and on-site visits to examine programs’ operations and teaching quality assurance mechanisms at tertiary education institutions, including various aspects that may affect student rights to education, such as curriculum planning and implementation, faculty and distance education and off-campus internships, so as to maintain the quality in tertiary education institutions.