International Exchange Window Workshops for Korean Teachers – Building Bridges between Taiwan and Korea
Finding a suitable partner school is a key element of conducting a successful international exchange program. To help interested schools in Taiwan and foreign countries find international partners, the Ministry of Education established an online platform called the International Exchange Window. One of its functions is to generate lists of possible partner schools for elementary and secondary schools in Taiwan and in overseas countries.
Since March this year, the Education Division of the Taipei Mission in Korea has conducted five virtual workshops for local teachers to introduce the IEW and encourage Korean teachers to join the platform. So far, 10 local teachers, and teachers from Gangwon International Language Institute’s global exchange program participated in the virtual workshops, and they expressed great interest in using the platform to find a partner school in Taiwan.
The Education Division also worked with the East Asia Global Institute in the city of Incheon to conduct a Taiwan–Incheon international exchange program with workshops. The Education Division provided guidelines about the IEW and helped local teachers to join the platform as part of this program. The first workshop was held online on April, and 25 schools signed up for Taiwan–Incheon international exchange program. A second workshop was held face-to-face on April 26 for local teachers who are interested in international exchanges, and the Education Division was invited to send a guest speaker. 60 teachers participated in the second workshop and learnt ways to use the IEW and discussed difficulties in organizing international exchange programs. Afterwards, several teachers contacted the Education Division inquiring about resources and expressing interest in conducting an exchange program with a school in Taiwan.
