Photo:Ms. Agnes Hwa-Yue Chen, Representative at the Taipei Representative Office in Germany (front row, standing, 5th left); Ms. Weng Chin-Ying, Director of the Education Division at the Taipei Representative Office in Germany (front row, crouching, 3rd right), surrounded by returned scholarship winners and guests

The Taipei Representative Office in Berlin invited former holders of Taiwan Government Scholarships, the winners of this year’s scholarships, and several special guests to a get-together and lunch on June 18, 2016, to exchange details of their experiences and information about study or research in Taiwan.

Ms. Agnes Hwa-Yue Chen, Representative at the Taipei Representative Office in the Federal Republic of Germany, welcomed everyone and shared some details of the latest political news from Taiwan. She also informed everyone about HiRecruit, a platform set up by the Ministry of Economic Affairs where skilled people can seek out opportunities to work in Taiwan.

Two scholars who had formerly won scholarships then gave short presentations. Mr. Sebastian Relitz from the University of Regensburg, who had been awarded a Taiwan Scholarship and undertaken a degree in Taiwan, spoke about Taiwan’s complex international relations, which have contradictory non-recognition and integration aspects, and Professor Margot Böse from the Free University of Berlin spoke enthusiastically about Taiwan’s geography and geology.

An excursion was arranged for after the lunch to give everyone a chance to talk and get to know each other better. The excursion was to the former Tempelhof Airport which has now become a park, much loved by the people of Berlin. It is a unique example of the positive reuse of a huge urban place in Germany’s largest city, and included a history guide. It made a very pleasant ending to the annual event.

This year’s get-together was the 6th. Plans are underway to hold next year’s in Munich.