Taiwan Study Opportunities Promoted at Old Spitalfields Market in London
The Education Division of the Taipei Representative Office in the United Kingdom took advantage of the Lunar New Year celebrations in London to promote some of Taiwan’s many government programs, including scholarships to study abroad in Taiwan, and a recruitment drive for English teachers and teaching assistants. Over two consecutive weekends—the 29 and 30 January and February 5 and 6—booths showcasing education and tourism opportunities in Taiwan were set up at Old Spitalfields Market in the heart of vibrant East London. Old Spitalfields Market is one of the liveliest creative and social spaces in London, which always has streams of people open to new experiences passing through.
The Director of the Education Division, Andy Cheu-An Bi, and Assistant Director, Marc Kai Tsou, worked at a booth handing out brochures and answering questions from interested visitors. Passers-by whose attention was drawn to the booth left with a better understanding of Taiwan’s rich array of educational resources and the wide-ranging opportunities for study, research and teaching in Taiwan.
These included the Huayu Enrichment Scholarships for short-term Mandarin courses at Chinese language centers at universities in Taiwan, the Ministry of Education Taiwan Scholarships for undergraduate and/or postgraduate degrees at universities in Taiwan, and the Taiwan Foreign English Teachers Program.
In addition, personnel from the Tourism Division of the Taipei Representative Office in London offered hands-on experiences such as painting, and calligraphy, and other cultural activities, played videos about Taiwan, and featured fashion and art exhibits from some prominent UK-based Taiwanese designers and artists. A group of Taiwanese students in the UK performed songs in English, Mandarin and Taiwanese.
The booth proved to be very popular, attracting more than 1,000 visitors each day. The visitors were interested to learn more about Taiwan’s higher education system and Taiwan’s many attributes as an ideal destination for international students and for teachers of English.
The weekend booths at Old Spitalfields Market were just part of a series of information sessions promoting study and teaching opportunities in Taiwan. Education Division personnel have also participated in a number of briefings hosted by universities and organizations throughout the UK talking about scholarships opportunities.
