Objectives

Starting in 2023,  to further deepen and expand the recruitment of international students from abroad, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has laid the foundation for the “Key Industry Sector Expansion Plan for Recruiting Overseas Chinese Students, Hong Kong and Macau Students, and International Students” This plan strengthens the promotion of the “International Industrial Talents Education Special Program”. This strategy includes the formation of the “University Academic Alliance in Taiwan (UAAT)” and the “International Industrial Talents Education Special Program” by setting up overseas bases in Europe, the United States, and New Southbound countries to promote the circulation and exchange of international talent. Additionally, universities and businesses in the Republic of China (R.O.C., Taiwan) will jointly promote new specialized programs to expand overseas recruitment, thereby attracting outstanding international students to study in the R.O.C., Taiwan and stay for work. This program will strengthen career counseling and employment support mechanisms in universities through “Professionalized Employment Counseling for International Students,” thus improving the after graduation employment rate of international students in the R.O.C., Taiwan and addressing the current domestic labor shortage. The “Population and Immigration Policy” aims to recruit over 320,000 international students by 2030, with an expected retention of over 210,000 people.

Implementation Strategies and Key Initiatives

1. Implementation Strategies

The “University Academic Alliance in Taiwan (UAAT)” and the “International Industrial Talents Education Special Program” were established by bringing together universities to form alliances for promoting international cooperation. In addition these alliances will integrate the resources of commercial enterprises to jointly promote faculty and student exchanges, industry-academia collaboration on joint research projects, Mandarin-Chinese language education, and other initiatives, in order to facilitate the exchange and circulation of outstanding international talent.

2. Key Initiatives

1. University Academic Alliance in Taiwan (UAAT)
   The aim is to subsidize 12 universities, including the National Taiwan University, to form the University Academic Alliance in Taiwan (UAAT). This initiative aligns with national development priorities and consolidates the efforts of major universities in the R.O.C., Taiwan. UAAT collaborates with universities in Europe, the United States, Japan, and other countries on specific forward-looking key sectors to carry out academic research collaborations aimed at developing advanced technologies required for the technological economy as well as meeting the future talent needs for national economic development. The goal is to promote talent exchange and circulation. Bilateral cooperation projects include large-scale research projects, graduate and doctoral student exchanges, field research, dual-degree programs, industry-academia collaboration projects, short-term courses, academic activities, seminars, and language exchange programs.
2. International Industrial Talents Education Special Program
   In alignment with the R.O.C., Taiwan’s overseas industry expansion and talent needs, the first phase will prioritize countries with stable student enrollment, signed international cooperation agreements, strong foundations in industry-academia talent cultivation, and significant potential for student recruitment. Overseas bases, including offices, will be established, initially in Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines. These bases will offer pre-departure Mandarin-Chinese language courses, international cooperation exchanges, recruitment for new specialized programs, and talent recruitment functions. The pre-departure Mandarin-Chinese language courses will help international students learn Chinese before coming to the R.O.C., Taiwan for degree studies, ensuring they have foundational understanding of the language. The international cooperation will combine commercial enterprises resources to promote faculty and student exchanges, industry-academia cooperation, Mandarin-Chinese language education, and other initiatives, facilitating the recruitment and exchange of outstanding international talent.
3. New Specialized Programs Offering Industry-Academia Scholarships

(1)The new specialized programs, based on the domestic industry’s talent needs, will involve collaboration between universities and enterprises to sign industry-academia cooperation agreements. These programs will jointly plan courses and recruit international students overseas. Recruitment will not be limited to countries where the overseas bases are located. The programs may include dual-degree undergraduate programs, 2-year undergraduate programs, 2-year post-bachelor programs, as well as master’s and doctoral (or dual-degree) programs, with priority given to fields such as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), finance, and semiconductors.

(2)Students in the new specialized programs will receive “Industry-Academia Scholarships” of up to NT$100,000 per person per year for a maximum of 2 years, provided by the National Development Fund, as well as a "living allowance" of at least NT$10,000 per person per month from enterprises. These aim to effectively integrate university international exchange cooperation resources with industry strengths to jointly cultivate talent. After graduating, international students enrolled in these programs are required to fulfill a 2-year employment obligation in the R.O.C., Taiwan to meet the talent needs of enterprises.

4. Professionalization of Employment Counseling for International Students
   To increase the employment rate of international students in the R.O.C., Taiwan after graduation, the MOE will strengthen universities' career counseling and employment support mechanisms for international students. Dedicated personnel will assist departments in taking care of international students. The plan will provide funding over 4 years to universities for hiring dedicated counselors for international students, collaborating with enterprises to design courses (including internships), establishing standard operating procedures (SOP) for learning and employment, and tracking employment outcomes for students staying in the R.O.C., Taiwan. This plan will also collect and evaluate difficulties or suggestions faced by international students at each university and promptly report these suggestions to relevant government agencies for improvement. The goal is to increase the employment rate of international students staying in the R.O.C., Taiwan after graduation from the current 40% to 70%.