EU-Officials Orientation to Chinese Language and Taiwan Study Programs

Representative Tung Kuo-yu welcomed the participants and encouraged them to explore the 5 C’s in Taiwan: culture; cuisine; colorful scenery; commonalities with Europe; and cross-strait peace. The Director of the Education Division, Huei-wen Hsu gave the group an overview of the Ministry of Education’s international education policy, the funding programs available to citizens of Belgium and Luxembourg, and an overall view of Taiwan’s education and how it is evolving. Three former participants shared their valuable experiences in Taiwan. Their anecdotes and visual material helped to provide the EU-officials with a deeper sense of what they could expect on their visit.

The Mandarin Training Program and the Taiwan Study Seminar started in 2007 and 2008 respectively, and since then more than 160 officials have participated in them. The number of applicants has increased every year. Fifty-four applications were received this year, of which 40% were accepted. Both programs strengthen the ties between the EU and Taiwan and create an excellent platform for dialogue. They are also helpful in creating a broader understanding of Taiwan’s recent developments.