Taiwan–UK University Consortium Holds First Conference in Taiwan
The Taiwan–UK University Consortium held its first conference in Taiwan at National Sun Yat-sen University in Kaohsiung from November 6 to November 8, 2024. It brought together researchers from the UK and Taiwan to present their research related to bilingual education and net-zero solutions and discuss opportunities for collaborative research. Each of the UK member universities sent four researchers to Taiwan, and Dr. Lee Yu-Jiuan 李毓娟, Director General of the Ministry of Education’s Department of International and Cross-Strait Education, and Andy Cheu-An Bi 畢祖安, Director of the Education Division at the Taipei Representative Office in London, both participated in the conference virtually.
Ms. Susan Milner, Director of the British Council Taiwan, who chaired the plenary sessions, spoke briefly about the consortium and its objectives. Four British research universities—the University of Edinburgh, Newcastle University, the University of Liverpool, and the University of the West of Scotland—and four research universities in Taiwan—National Taiwan University, National Tsing Hua University, National Taiwan Normal University, and National Sun Yat-sen University—signed a memorandum of understanding on November 20, 2023, thereby launching and becoming inaugural members of the Taiwan–UK University Consortium. Its aim is to advance research and collaboration in key areas such as green energy, net-zero solutions, and innovative approaches to English language teaching.
Opening remarks were then given by Dr. Lee Yu-Jiuan; John Dennis, the Representative of Britain in Taiwan; and Dr. Cheng-Chih Wu 吳正己, Chairman of FICHET- the Foundation for International Cooperation in Higher Education of Taiwan, and President of National Taiwan Normal University, a consortium member.
The consortium member participants presented their research in the areas of bilingual education and net-zero solutions and discussed potential joint collaborative research projects. Some researchers formed work pairs based on their particular research interests. In addition to the academic presentations, representatives of Taiwan’s National Science and Technology Council, of Taiwan’s Ministry of Education, and of the UK’s Science and Innovation Network provided information on funding opportunities available to support joint research between the UK and Taiwan.
