The Taiwanese delegation included university presidents, vice-presidents, academic registrars, and staff members responsible for international exchange and student affairs, from eighteen leading universities in Taiwan. They offered information about the variety of educational opportunities available to Thai students, such as Mandarin Chinese language learning programs, scholarships for bachelor’s, and master’s degrees, and doctorate programs, to assist students in making choices which will equip them with the skills and competencies needed for a successful career in the 21st century.

In recent years, Taiwan has gained international acclaim for the fine quality of its higher education. 80 percent of the teaching staff of the universities in Taiwan hold a PH.D degree. In 2013, seventeen universities in Taiwan were listed in the top 100 Asian university rankings, and the World Economic Forum 2013 ranked Taiwan 11th in the world for higher education and training. It is no surprise that the number of international students choosing Taiwan for study has been steadily growing. There are currently more than 78,261 international students in Taiwan, making Taiwan an important education provider in the region, and among these are 1,601 Thai students, 797 of whom are pursuing a formal degree program.

The educational cooperation and exchanges between Thailand and Taiwan in the field of higher education have been close for many years. 421 educational cooperation agreements have been signed between universities and colleges in the two countries, and in September 2013, the two governments signed an Agreement on Educational Cooperation to strengthen and broaden academic cooperation and mutual collaboration in the areas of higher education and research.

The recent 2014 Taiwan-Thailand Higher Education Exposition is set to further consolidate the cordial educational relationship between the two countries.