2019 Taiwan Educational Mission to the Walloon Region
A delegation of 15 personnel from educational organizations in Taiwan, including the Director of the Institute of Space Science and Engineering at National Central University, professors and administrators of colleges and universities, and principals of elementary and high schools, visited the Walloon Region of Belgium between August 17 and 26. During their visit they met with education experts at the Ministry of Education of the Federation Wallonie-Bruxelles, the European School Bruxelles Argenteuil, the Euro Space Center, and the CERAN language school. They also had a taste of Belgian culture and history, by visiting places such as the Waterloo Memorial, the European Parliament and the House of European History in Brussels, and the Artothèque and Doudou Museums in Mons.
The visit was initiated by Caves Books, a Taiwanese company which organizes events at elementary schools to introduce different countries, including Belgium, and their cultures. In search of information, Caves Books reached out to the Belgian Office Taipei and learned that Belgium has much to offer in areas such as space sciences and arts.
Some schools have already expressed interest in creating courses with international themes, and the idea to visit Belgium took shape. A visit by Ms. Ludivine Destrée, the manager of Wallonie Belgique Tourism, to promote the Walloon Region and the Euro Space Center in Taiwanese travel agencies and schools, resulted in an official invitation to visit the Walloon Region. This made it possible to organize the visit of the educational delegation in record time.
The main purpose of the visit was to increase mutual understanding and promote cultural exchanges between Taiwan and Belgium. The opportunities provided by Wallonie Belgique Tourism with the support of the Taipei Representative Office in the EU and Belgium, facilitated the group’s learning a lot about the Belgian education system and culture, and methods of teaching space sciences. The visit also opened possibilities for mutual exchanges. The delegation members look forward to maintaining and further expanding the connections they’ve made pertaining to education and culture.