2014 Annual Taiwan Student Leadership Forum at Education Division in TECO Boston Discusses International Mobility -Ministry of Education Republic of China (Taiwan)

2014 Annual Taiwan Student Leadership Forum at Education Division in TECO Boston Discusses International Mobility

Date: 2014-04-12

2014 Annual Taiwan Student Leadership Forum at Education Division in TECO Boston Discusses International Mobility

The Education Division at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston sponsors an annual Taiwan Student Leadership Forum each spring. This provides an opportunity for young overseas students from Taiwan to discuss matters they are concerned with and elect new office-bearers for the Federation of Taiwan Student Associations in New England (FTSANE).

The 2014 Leadership Forum was held in Boston’s Chinatown on April 12, and about 40 student leaders representing students at 16 universities and colleges in New England attended the meeting. Director Cynthia Huang spoke on behalf of the Ministry of Education. She reminded the students to pay close attention to their personal safety and health while studying abroad, to always remain in touch with their families in Taiwan, and obey the local laws and regulations related to international students. She urged them to establish a habit of life-long learning, and particularly encouraged them to take good advantage of their international experience and the wonderful opportunity it presented to broaden their own vision and to enhance and promote Taiwan’s profile.

The highlight of the 2014 Taiwan Student Leadership Forum was a surprise visit by Mr. Chi-Chao Chuang from Taiwan. He graduated from MIT in 2012 and completed a one-year Optional Practical Training at MIT Media Lab before returning to Taiwan to pursue an entrepreneurship project called Innovation Open House (IOH, http://www.ioh.tw). IOH is an online platform showcasing video clips submitted by Taiwanese students who are currently studying abroad, in which they talk about their experiences studying and living in different cultures. He and a team from Taiwan are visiting in Boston as part of a joint project with the Commonwealth Magazine, collecting video clips for IOH and shooting a 2-hour documentary about IOH for a special edition on Taiwan’s future Manpower Development.

Chuang hopes that his online platform sharing students’ experiences will encourage and motivate of university and college students in Taiwan to study overseas and help enhance their international mobility. He invited the participants at the Forum to join him and the Commonwealth Magazine team at MIT in April to explore ways in which they can get involved with the project.

After the discussion session, the participants cast their votes for the new FTSANE president. Ms. Heuy-Jen Lee, currently a student at Boston College, was elected and will begin her term of office at the beginning of May.