New Jersey Department of Education and Taiwan’s Ministry of Education Sign Memorandum of Understanding
A delegation from the State of New Jersey, led by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, visited Taiwan in October 2023 as part of their state’s Choose New Jersey promotion campaign. This were on an economic mission to East Asia to bolster bilateral ties and foster new partnerships between New Jersey and Asian countries.
During their time in Taiwan, on October 20, 2023, the delegation signed several memoranda of understanding with a number of government departments at a signing ceremony hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The signing ceremony was attended by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy, and officials from New Jersey and Taiwan.
These included a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Ministry of Education in Taiwan and the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) to collaborate on educational initiatives. The MOU had already been signed in New Jersey by NJDOE Acting Commissioner Dr. Angelica Allen-McMillan and brought to Taiwan by Governor Murphy. It was signed by Dr. Yen-Yi Lee, Director General of the Department of International and Cross-Strait Education of the Ministry of Education, thereby finalizing it, and Governor Murphy signed each copy as a witness.
“The signing of this memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Education in Taiwan and the New Jersey Department of Education marks a significant step for international collaboration in education,” said Dr. Angelica Allen-McMillan, Acting Commissioner of Education. “This partnership will open doors for cultural exchanges and educational advancement, enhancing the learning experiences for our students in New Jersey and fostering global cooperation in the field of education.”
Key aspects of the three-year MOU include New Jersey and Taiwan agreeing to boost joint efforts in language education and STEM—science, technology, engineering, and math—education, in accordance with the U.S.–Taiwan Education Initiative signed in 2020, and promote collaborative projects and academic exchanges between their respective educators and educational institutions. With the help of the Ministry of Education’s Education Division at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, fifteen elementary and secondary schools in New Jersey have already established sister-school relationships with elementary and secondary schools in Taiwan with which they interact. This MOU provides a sound basis to further expand exchanges and collaboration between education institutions at all levels. The two signatory parties will form a working group which will meet at least once a year and draw up work plans to coordinate efforts to achieve agreed-on goals.
Everyone at the signing ceremony recognized the importance of international cooperation in bolstering two-way economic investment, academic exchanges, and K-12 educational collaborations. “The agreements signed at the event highlight the importance of working with partners around the world to form a stronger and fairer economy and create a better future for our children,” said Governor Murphy. “We can learn invaluable lessons through our partnership with Taiwan, and we hope that the agreements signed today will be beneficial to the strength of both New Jersey and Taiwan.”
