1. Schedule: January 1, 2022 – December 31, 2025

2. Objectives

1. Provide comprehensive coordination & promotion mechanisms

(2) Refine proficiency descriptors & assessment

(3) Enhance access to Mandarin education in North America and Europe

(4) Provide comprehensive Mandarin teacher training support systems

(5) Integrate & develop digital Mandarin teaching & learning

(6) Establish more Mandarin learning centers overseas

3. Implementation Strategies

(1) Provide comprehensive coordination & promotion mechanisms

The Ministry of Education (MOE) commissions bodies and agencies to coordinate and oversee Mandarin Education Project related matters, including promotion of Mandarin learning, Links with Phase 2 of the Higher Education SPROUT Project will provide access to an even more extensive range of Mandarin education resources.

(2) Refine proficiency descriptors & assessment

The MOE commissioned NAER to formulate Reference Guidelines for Using the Taiwan Benchmarks for the Chinese Language, and SC-TOP to revise the TOCFL Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language proficiency tests. TOCFL 2.0, released in early 2023, incorporates more CAT testing and the level descriptors align with those of other international proficiency tests.

(3) Enhance access to Mandarin education in North America and Europe:

The MOE is encouraging universities in Taiwan to collaborate with universities in Europe and in North America to implement the Taiwan Huayu BEST Program. Subsidies are available for university language centers in Taiwan to develop improved learning software and hardware to attract more overseas students to study Mandarin in Taiwan.

 (4) Provide comprehensive Mandarin teacher training support systems

The MOE has developed Competency Indicators for International Mandarin Teachers that can be used to evaluate training mechanisms of key aspects of Mandarin teacher training, including academic education, assessment, and practical training, This is designed to assist the training of high-quality accredited teachers of Chinese as a Foreign Language.

 (5) Integrate & develop digital Mandarin teaching & learning

A central platform is being built to provide one-stop access to the Mandarin education resources of the Taiwan Mandarin Educational Resources Center, Huayuworld, and COOL Chinese websites. Subsidies are available for universities in Taiwan to develop innovative online Mandarin courses to cater to learners worldwide through the internet.

(6) Establish more Mandarin learning centers overseas

Make MOE subsidies available to set up Mandarin learning centers in universities in Europe and North America under the Taiwan Huayu BEST Program, to provide a variety of activities, such as professional development courses and workshops for Mandarin teachers and TOCFL proficiency testing. As well as serving Mandarin learners and educators, the centers will serve as bases for Taiwan to promote Mandarin education at universities in Europe and North America.