Technological and vocational students achieve striking results in international competitions -Ministry of Education Republic of China (Taiwan)

Technological and vocational students achieve striking results in international competitions

Date: 2012-07-06

Technological and vocational education (TVE) has been a mainstay in Taiwan’s economic development. In recent years, technological and vocational colleges and universities have been defeating their foreign counterparts and bringing gold and silver medals back to Taiwan. This has demonstrated Taiwan’s remarkable technical energy and strength to the world! Indeed, all roads lead to Rome. Diploma is not the only one ticket to success. Students at technological and vocational colleges and universities have more space and opportunities than those at common high schools and universities. Through challenges and by participating in international competitions, they command a professional skill, the key to career development. Hence, we should encourage more students to develop properly and join the TVE system to realize their dreams and bring honors back to Taiwan.
Technological and vocational schools are characterized by “learning by doing”. By increasing learning results and accumulating experience through practice and attaching equal importance to educational theory and practice, these are not only what TVE emphasizes, but they are also a base for technological and vocational students’ success and a country’s economic development. As a result, in 2005, the Ministry of Education (MOE) set up the highest honor for technological and vocational colleges and universities – “Outstanding Student Award of Technological and Vocational Education,, in an bid to encourage technological and vocational colleges and universities to enthusiastically participate in international skill competitions and win the highest honors. By 2012, this award will 8 years old. The personal awards will continue to give the excellent achievement in technological and vocational and in international professional contest to technological and vocational college and university teachers and students, as well as awards in all technological and vocational awards in all technological and vocational fields, such as international innovation and invention fields and professional license performances, to reward personal achievements. Through selection of the Outstanding Student Award of Technological and Vocational Education, a model will be set up for all to learn, emulate, and transcend. At the same time, it intends to promote society’s understanding of TVE, increase willingness to study at technological and vocational colleges and universities, and facilitate TVE’s sustainable development.
Selections for the Outstanding Student Award of Technological and Vocational Education are undertaken through the MOE’s “Technological and Vocational Billboard” Website. The Website publishes awards and excellent performances in international competitions by teachers and students at all schools. For example, in academic 2010, there were 2,459 entries, of which 31 were nominated for the Outstanding Student Award of Technological and Vocational Education. Besides, the Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) trains and selects national champions on a regular basis, who take part in the World Skills Competition on behalf of Taiwan. In the 41st World Skills Competition 2011, over 90% of Taiwan’s representatives were technological and vocational college and university students. They yielded unusually brilliant results on the world stage.
In recent years, Taiwanese students have demonstrated their brilliant performances in international invention awards in Nuremberg, Germany; Geneva, Switzerland; Seoul, Korea, etc. Accordingly, in 2008, the TVL set up an additional award “Invention Awards Master”. For instance, in the 7th term in 2011, the awards were as many as 269, more than 2 times the previous year. This suggests that technological colleges and universities have been committed to patents and innovation and invention and encouraging students to take part aggressively. This also has powered Taiwan’s TVE to shine on the world!
In the world’s big industrial design category competitions, Taiwanese students’ performances have been eye-catching in recent years. Among Germany’s iF design concept award winners in 2012, 27 awards went to Taiwan. Among them, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology was champion around the globe and made it to the top of the chart of universities in the world, for 2 consecutive years! In addition, the school was also No.1 in the Asia Pacific area in universities around the world in the German Red dot design award. This has catapulted Taiwan’s design creativity onto the world stage!

A list of awards received by Taiwanese technological and vocational college and university students in international competitions in 2010 (source: MOE’s Technological and Vocational Billboard)

Competition	No. of awards
Industrial design	13
Commercial design	17
Architectural and space design	6
Multimedia and game design	8
Animation	29
Information technology	5
Technological R&D	16
Cooking	45
Cosmetics & hairdressing & housecraft	18
Business start-up	6
International inventions	269
TOTAL	432

List of Taiwan’s achievements in the 7 big international invention exhibitions in recent years

40^th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva	Geneva, Switzerland	In 2012, 45 golds, 52 silvers, 25 bronzes, 8 special awards, as well as “Group Champion”
2012 the Invention & New Product Exposition (INPEX)	Pittsburgh, U.S.	In 2011, 25 golds, 11 silvers, 4 special awards
Moscow International Salon of Inventions and Innovation Technologies “Archimedes”	Moscow International Salon of Inventions and Innovation Technologies “Archimedes”	In 2012, 41 golds, 31 silvers, 8 bronzes, 1 international Grand Jury Award and 2 special awards
ITEX 2012 23^rd International Invention, Innovation and Technology Exhibition	Malaysia ITEX	In 2012, 68 golds, 59 silvers, 52 bronzes
iENA 2011 International Trade Fair “Ideas-Inventions-New Products” Nuremberg Exhibition Center	Nuremberg, Germany	In 2011, 26 golds, 45 silvers, 11 bronzes, 1 special award
Seoul International Invention Fair 2011	Seoul, Korea	In 2011, 26 golds, 45 silvers, 12 bronzes, 1 special award
British Invention Show	London, England	In 2010, 12 golds, 2 silvers (in 2011, Taiwan did not participate due to England’s unstable political situation)