The British Columbia Council for International Education (BCCIE) and the Foundation for International Cooperation in Higher Education of Taiwan (FICHET) cohosted an online networking and partnership development session on May 12, 2022. This was their first collaborative activity held since signing the renewal of their memorandum of agreement on March 14.

 

This virtual event bought together 12 higher education institutions each from Taiwan and British Columbia and provided an excellent platform for the participating institutions to discuss and explore potential academic collaboration. 

 

The participating institutions were:

 

Taiwanese Universities: 

• Feng Chia University

 

• Hungkuang University

• I-Shou University

• National Cheng Kung University

• National Chi Nan University

• National Taipei University of Business

• National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences

• National Taipei University of Technology

• National Tsing Hua University 

• National University of Kaohsiung

• Tamkang University

• Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages

 

Canadian Institutions:

• Capilano University

• Douglas College

• Fairleigh Dickinson University

• Kwantlen Polytechnic University

• Northern Lights College

• Okanagan College

• Royal Roads University

• Selkirk College

• Thompson Rivers University

• University of British Columbia

• University of Victoria

• Vancouver Island University

 

“We are very excited to be hosting today’s BC & Taiwan virtual networking and partnership development event, in collaboration with FICHET,” said Dr. Randall Martin, Executive Director of BCCIE at the opening. “FICHET has been a long-standing partner of BCCIE, and the relationship was formalized in 2015. In the past seven years, we have been devoted to establishing and advancing the academic ties between BC and Taiwan, and today marks the renew commitment to carry forward our works. We hope that today’s event will provide a platform for our institutions to diversify their international partnership portfolios.” 

 

“With today’s event, I see another solid and exciting beginning for the coming collaboration among our higher education institutions. Although international programs in the conventional form which involve a high degree of physical activities have been greatly hindered by the COVID pandemic, we have also seen virtual arrangements become very creative and progressive. So today we are trying out this new form to effectively facilitate networking and partnerships. BCCIE and FICHET have each invited 12 higher education intuitions to join us today for a highly intensive 90-minute session. I believe we will have the opportunity to explore issues and help promote and enhance our international partnership,” said Dr. Huey-Jen Jenny Su, Chairperson of FICHET. 

 

“I firmly believe that education is the foundation of forming solid people-to-people relationships across the Pacific,” said Mr. Ed Jager, Director of Trade & Investment at the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei. “International education, particularly bilingual education, gives students advantages that have a long-lasting positive impact on their future career. The pandemic has hit the education sectors hard, and I hoping that as a result of the partnership cooperation between BCCIE and FICHET and as the restrictive measures continue to relax, we will be able to bring student mobility back to its normal level and then see it grow even further.”

 

“BCCIE and FICHET’s commitment to promoting higher education exchanges has opened up a lot more opportunities for students and scholars in Taiwan and in BC”, said Tracy Lang, Director of the Education Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Canada, who represents Taiwan’s Ministry of Education. “The global pandemic has limited many international activities in the past two years, but now that Canada has opened its borders to visitors, and Taiwan is working toward relaxing its border restrictions, students and scholars are more eager than ever to travel again and take part in international education in person.