<![CDATA[Events - Ministry of Education Republic of China (Taiwan)]]>https://english.moe.gov.tw/np-14-1.htmlMinistry of Education Republic of China (Taiwan) RSS channel.en-usRSS發行者20<![CDATA[2020 Taiwan Higher Education Fairs in East Malaysia]]>https://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20784-923ff-1.htmlThe excellent study environment in Taiwan has always been one of the major factors that attract the Malaysian students to undertake further study there, and the 2020 Taiwan Higher Education Fairs held in East Malaysia showcased the wide range of programs and courses available in Taiwan’s universities.

The exhibitions were organized and hosted by the Federation of Alumni Association of Taiwan Universities, Malaysia (FAATUM) and its local branches in Sarawak and fifty universities in Taiwan participated in each.

The education fairs and exhibitions were held in the Miri Indoor Stadium in Sarawak on March 2nd and 3rd, and then in Kota Kinabalu in Sabah on March 4th and 5th. Charlin Chang, the director of the Education Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia attended the education fairs in each city and participated in the opening ceremonies, together with representatives from the participating universities.

Datuk Dr. Lee Kim Shin, the Minister for Transport in the Cabinet of Sarawak, was invited to attend and speak at the opening ceremony in the Miri Indoor Stadium. The minister thanked everyone involved in organizing the education fairs and exhibitions for their efforts, and he praised the academic collaboration between higher education institutions in Taiwan and those in Malaysia. These have been significantly increased as a result of the enhancement of education related ties between Taiwan and Malaysia. Such collaboration has benefited both the students and also the educators, and this is nurturing mutual prosperity in the education field.

This year’s education fairs and related exhibitions gave potential students and parents an opportunity to get detailed information and answers to their questions, and they were widely welcomed by local schools, and leaders and well reported by the press state-wide. Exhibitors from fifty universities in Taiwan encouraged and welcomed students in Malaysia to plan to undertake further study in Taiwan to enhance their competitiveness for the future.

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Thu, 07 May 2020 01:57:00 GMThttps://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20784-923ff-1.html20784新聞工作小組
<![CDATA[Education in Taiwan Symposium Held in Tokyo]]>https://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20783-9e888-1.htmlThe Education Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in Japan and the Tokyo Private School Association jointly organized a Symposium on Education in Taiwan, held on February 21. The symposium presented the current education developments in Taiwan and the range of exchanges between high schools in Taiwan and in Japan. Educators in both countries hope to create better international education and learning environments through the exchange of teachers and students.

 

The Tokyo Private School Association is an association of 419 private secondary schools in Tokyo. The number of Japanese high school students and young people studying in Taiwan has increased significantly, and the symposium was organized to assist its member schools to have an in-depth understanding of exchanges with Taiwan and to further them. Approximately 50 member schools attended.

Huang Guan-Chau, Director of the Education Division of TECRO Japan gave a keynote presentation on the current education situation in Taiwan.

Mr. Oikawa Ken (及川謙), the director of the International Department at Seijo High School (成城高校), who led a group of twenty students to Taiwan for a week last year, told other attendees that he was very impressed by the second language education and the promotion and implantation of international exchanges by schools in Taiwan.

He also praised the high-quality facilities and environment of Taiwan's higher education and said that one of the students in the group had decided to study in Taiwan after graduating from high school.

During the symposium, many school representatives reported that they are planning to have more exchanges with high schools in Taiwan. The Education Division agreed to assist them to find in matching schools and build bilateral ties.

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Thu, 07 May 2020 01:50:00 GMThttps://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20783-9e888-1.html20783新聞工作小組
<![CDATA[Education Division of the Taipei-Moscow Economic and Cultural Coordination Commission (ED TMECCC) Talks at Moscow State Linguistic University about Taiwan Government Scholarships, Research Grants, and Internships]]>https://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20782-f1f7b-1.htmlIn response to an invitation by Moscow State Linguistic University, William Lu, Secretary of the Education Division of Taipei-Moscow Economic and Cultural Coordination Commission (ED TMECCC) gave a presentation there on February 21, 2020, about the scholarships, internships, and research grants provided by the Taiwan Government, and by individual universities in Taiwan. Approximately 60 students, teachers, and administrative personnel attended.

 

The presentation began with four short films about the customs, eating habits, educational system, and life style in Taiwan that were shot by NTV TV station in 2017 and dictated by a famous local host, Elena Nikolaeva. Two Russian students then talked about their experience of studying and living in Taiwan. One had received Huayu Enrichment Scholarship to study Mandarin Chinese, while the other had stayed there half a year as an exchange student.

 

William Lu then gave details of the scholarships, internships, and research grants available to Russian and other international students, including Taiwan Scholarships, Huayu Enrichment Scholarships, ICDF Scholarships, Short Term Research Awards, Taiwan Fellowships, MOE APEC Scholarships, and the Taiwan Experience Education Programs (TEEP). His presentation was warmly received and followed by many questions. The TMECCC Education Division also provided information materials about TOCFL and Studying in Taiwan that people could take and read later.

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Thu, 07 May 2020 01:43:00 GMThttps://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20782-f1f7b-1.html20782新聞工作小組
<![CDATA[GPH, a High School in the French-speaking Community of Belgium, and Taichung Municipal Hui-Wen High School Discuss Educational Exchanges]]>https://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20781-0ff73-1.htmlGosselies Providence Humanities (GPH) is a high school in the French-speaking Community of Belgium that specializes in science skills and bilingual education, including immersion programs.

Taichung Municipal Hui-Wen High School focuses on international education. It has sister schools in Canada, Germany, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and offers several second foreign language electives: French, German, Japanese, and Spanish. It received a gold medal certification from University College London in 2017 and in 2018 became Taiwan’s sixth global partner school of PASCH, Germany's global language program for young students.

The principal of GPH, Joël Biot, and the deputy principal, Jean-Yves Scandolo travelled to Taiwan to visit the school and learn more about Taiwan’s education system. They met with Wang Pei-Ching, principal of Hui-Wen High School, and other staff members on February 25 and discussed establishing long-term exchanges. During their visit to the school, Mr. Biot, and Mr. Scandolo also observed a French language class, and spoke in French with four students who had recently returned from an exchange trip to France.

They were both very impressed by the school’s advanced digital tools and look forward to setting up online courses and engaging in other projects with Hui-Wen High School, and Wang Pei-Ching looks forward to entering a sister school agreement between the two schools and welcoming teachers and students from Gosselies.

During their extended stay in Taiwan, the visitors from Belgium also visited Wagor International School in Taichung, Yoder Bilingual Academy in Taoyuan City, Nan Kai University of Technology, and the beer and chocolate factories affiliated with National Chi Nan University. The beer factory was of particular interest to them because GPH also produces beer.

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Thu, 07 May 2020 01:31:00 GMThttps://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20781-0ff73-1.html20781新聞工作小組
<![CDATA[Leading Taiwan Women Support Houston’s See to Succeed! Program for Students]]>https://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20780-8eb32-1.htmlThe Women's Forum of Southern United States, created by leading Taiwanese women in Houston, celebrates International Women’s Day by holding an annual goodwill event. This year the Women’s Forum collaborated with the Houston Health Foundation and organized a goodwill luncheon to support its See to Succeed program. Good vision is critical for students to succeed academically and in other parts of their lives, and the program provides eye exams and eyeglasses to children in the Greater Houston area who don’t have access to vision services.

The Education Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Houston took part in the event and set up a table to promote Taiwan’s education, culture, and study abroad opportunities. Mario Figueroa Jr—better known locally as the artist Gonzo247—also participated and generously gave TECO the beautiful mural artwork featuring Taiwan imagery that’s partly visible in the group photo.

Peter Chen, Director-General of TECO in Houston, spoke at the luncheon and commended the Women’s Forum for bringing together community and business leaders, educators and public officials to support this important cause. The goodwill luncheon raised $16,000 for the See to Succeed program.

He also commented on the coronavirus pandemic that is taking a rapidly increasing toll on the health and well-being of people around the world. Taiwan has won widespread recognition for its impressive performance in dealing with the crisis, and Taiwan would be a great contributor to the international health community. He called for the World Health Organization to include Taiwan in its epidemic prevention network to help WHO achieve Health for All, a vision that it holds dear.

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Thu, 07 May 2020 01:21:00 GMThttps://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20780-8eb32-1.html20780新聞工作小組
<![CDATA[Panel Discussion on Taiwan's Rapid Response to Covid-19]]>https://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20779-f6755-1.htmlThe Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Boston, Harvard GSAS Taiwan Student Association, and several medical universities in Taiwan hosted a panel discussion on March 5, to share details of Taiwan’s experience combating diseases, and the strengths that Taiwan is bringing to fighting COVID-19. The attendees included Angelo Puppolo, a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and chair of its Committee on Technology & Intergovernmental Affairs, and Marty Martinez, Chief of the Mayor's Office Health & Human Services for the City of Boston.

Douglas Hsu, Director General of TECO in Boston, explained that Taiwan’s government learned how to fight the spread of COVID-19 from dealing with the global outbreak of SARS in 2003. At the beginning of 2020, when other countries were still unprepared for the COVID-19 virus, Taiwan’s government set up a tracking system to track all confirmed cases and banned the export of medical face masks, and Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare established the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) to integrate government’s resources to protect Taiwan’s entire population from any local COVID-19 outbreak. CECC provides information and resources and holds a daily press conference giving updates and the latest news.

These are key reasons why Taiwan has been among the countries with dramatically fewer people infected by this devastating virus, despite being so geographically close to the location where this pandemic began. Taiwan is fully ready and willing to contribute its experience to help protect global health! #TaiwanCanHelp

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Thu, 07 May 2020 01:19:00 GMThttps://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20779-f6755-1.html20779新聞工作小組
<![CDATA[Former Minister of Education Prof. Yeh Jiunn-Rong speaks to Taiwanese students at TECO New York]]>https://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20778-76eb1-1.htmlProfessor Yeh Jiunn-rong, the former Minister of Education in Taiwan was the guest speaker at a public talk the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in New York on February 22, jointly hosted by the Education Division of TECO and the Federation of Taiwanese Student Associations in New York. It was open to the public and attended by many students from Taiwan currently studying at universities in the greater New York area. Professor Yeh is a professor in the College of Law at National Taiwan University and he has also served in government, including as Minister of the Interior from 2016–2018, and as Minister of Education in 2018.

The evening talk was titled After the Election: From the 8.17 Communique to the will of 8.17 million people. The “8.17 Communique” was a communique signed between the U.S. and China on August 17, 1982 during the period of martial law in Taiwan, which was lifted in 1987 and followed by democratization. The “will of 8.17 million people” refers to the number of votes cast for President Tsai Ing-wen when she was reelected in the democratic election held in January, 2020.

At the time of Taiwan’s transition into democracy in 1987, Professor Yeh was studying law at Yale University on a scholarship from Taiwan’s Ministry of Education. He talked about his experiences as a law student in the United States during the late 1980s, and about the subsequent democratic developments in Taiwan that paralleled his subsequent career.

After graduating from Yale, he returned to Taiwan with a strong desire to contribute to the democratization process. He became a legal scholar specializing in environmental law, constitutional law, and the constitutional process. His work contributed to the many important changes in the ROC constitution that have facilitated the democratic transition of Taiwan’s political system, both through constitutional amendments passed by the Legislature and through Constitutional Interpretations issued by the Council of Grand Justices, the constitutional court responsible for interpreting the ROC constitution.

These constitutional changes paved the way for key milestones such as the 1992 popular election for national legislators, the first direct presidential election in 1996, and the first transfer of the presidency to an opposition party in 2000. More recently, the Council of Grand Justices issued a Constitutional Interpretation in May 2017 which declared prohibiting same-sex marriage was unconstitutional and paved the way for Taiwan to become the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.

Professor Yeh finished his very interesting and informative talk, by expressing his confidence that the Constitution would continue to be able to facilitate democratic changes that address social issues and then answered questions posed by the audience.

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Thu, 07 May 2020 01:16:00 GMThttps://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20778-76eb1-1.html20778新聞工作小組
<![CDATA[TECO in Canada attends Study and Go Abroad Fair in Montreal]]>https://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20777-75498-1.htmlStudy and Go Abroad Fairs are held over several days in three locations twice a year, and most recently, in Montreal on February 29, 2020, Toronto on March 1, and Vancouver on March 3. These fairs enable students to explore options to head abroad for undergraduate or post-graduate study, working holidays, language learning, gap years, and internships. There’s new impetus for this, following the Canadian government’s launch of its International Education Strategy initiative last year. This five-year plan includes encouraging more Canadian students to study abroad, and it has a $147.9 million budget allocation.

A three-person team from the Education Division at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Canada was on-hand participating in the Study and Go Abroad Fair at the Montreal Convention Centre  to provide details of the learning environment in Taiwan, discuss university programs and opportunities to study Chinese, promote working holiday options, and answer questions from prospective students.

TECO was the only participant from Asia at the Study and Go Abroad Fair in Montreal; there was a heavy representation of universities in the United Kingdom, and official government representatives from European nations. Many of the visitors to the TECO stand expressed particular interest in short-term language study in Taiwan, and in university courses that included a work internship.

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Thu, 07 May 2020 01:13:00 GMThttps://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20777-75498-1.html20777新聞工作小組
<![CDATA[The MOE Promotes International Talent Cultivation Universities to Nurture World Talented Professionals]]>https://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20751-71b92-1.htmlIn 2018, the Ministry of Education (MOE) established the "Technical Universities' International Talent Cultivation University Pilot Project" to encourage technical universities to focus on the development of technical fields with distinctive characteristics and energy, and to cooperate with benchmarks of international technical universities to cultivate professional talent with international vision, sophisticated technology use, and internationally competitive technical abilities.

Approximately 300 students participated in this project and the MOE selected six technical universities to participate in the first year. These schools focused on the fields of Building Engineering, Health Care, Mechanical Engineering, Aquaculture and Animal Husbandry. These six universities cooperated with benchmark technical universities, such as the Dalum Academy of Agricultural Business in Denmark, and introduced professional teachers and courses from those universities to deepen the technical skills of students and to cultivate talent with both sophisticated technology and international perspectives needed by these industries. 

The technical universities that participated in this project for the first year included National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, National Taipei University of Technology, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, National Formosa University, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, and National Pingtung University of Science and Technology. The international cooperative universities included Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Cincinnati, Osaka Institute of Technology, the Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Lean Systems of University of Texas at San Antonio, Auburn University, Nagasaki University and Dalum Academy of Agricultural Business. Each Taiwanese university with their international cooperative universities conducted measures such as short-term exchanges and internships to establish the basis of mutual cooperation, introduce the experience of talent cultivation from abroad, focus on professional talent cultivation that would fit the needs of society and industry, encourage students to obtain the international licenses that could be utilized in industry, and finally, introduce technical courses to invigorate teaching content in Taiwan.

The results of employer surveys of graduates of the Building and Construction field managed by the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology indicated that software skills and practical capability were the most valued professional and technical abilities by employers. The National Taiwan University of Science and Technology cooperated with the Georgia Institute of Technology, to focus on the cultivation of software application talent for Building Information Modeling (BIM) which was urgently needed in Taiwan, and conducted BIM intensive courses by using interactive teaching methods such as class discussion, case analysis, engineering project visits and actual practice. Students were encouraged to obtain BIM mainstream software international certification that was related to mechanical and electrical equipment, buildings and structures such as Revit. In the future, they will cooperate with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen (DGMB) to carry out the training of seed teachers, so as to cultivate students to obtain other international certificates and increase their competitiveness in employment.

The National Taipei University of Technology and the University of Cincinnati jointly promoted talent cultivation and technical cooperation in the field of smart healthcare by adopting all-English teaching, and by applying big data analysis and deep learning techniques to arrange students to study in groups, to emphasize case discussion and exercises, to inspire students to think independently and learn by doing, to attach importance to immediate feedback of teaching, and lastly to review and update teaching methods and contents depending on the outcomes of previous conditions. The planning and integration of i3PBL (Problem-Based Learning, PBL) with the three-in-one modular characteristics of "Innovative", "International" and "Industrial" were promoted by integrating the original PBL models in the school based on the cooperation experience. The combination of teaching and practice made the students feel more deeply involved with their learning. In addition, the international PBL work camps and competitions such as cross-border and cross-campus industrial implementation projects were managed during the summer vacations to raise more awareness about international perspectives and cultural exchange.

In 2018, the National Development Council announced that Taiwan has become a senior citizen society and estimated that it will develop into a super-aged society by 2026, and under these circumstances there will be a lack of health care personnel and the needs of health care would be redoubled, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) playing a crucial role in all fields of life. The Osaka Institute of Technology established the first 'Department of Robotics and Design' in Japan to improve the quality of life of the elderly population and pay attention to the fields of home care service robots and healing robots. Therefore, the National Yunlin University of Science and Technology cooperated with the Osaka University of Technology, taking "students to Japan for exchange and learning" and "foreign scholars to Taiwan for teaching" as the main implementation modes, so that students would have the professional abilities and understanding of the main technology of intelligent robots to cultivate talents needed by the industry.

In support of the coming era of the smart industry, Taiwan's precision machinery has been upgraded to smart machinery. The National Formosa University took technological upgrading, quality assurance and industrial and academic links in the machine tool industry as main concepts to cooperate with the 'Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Lean Systems' of the University of Texas at San Antonio, which is renowned for promoting industrial product assurance systems. Outstanding students were selected to go overseas for international practical training to enable students to acquire the knowledge and technology of intelligent machinery. In order to enhance the efficiency of productivity and industrial competitiveness, the integration of precision management and the promotion of the Six Sigma management system are indispensable elements, and students of this program are expected to obtain Lean & Six Sigma Green Belt Certificates in May this year to reach the needs of industrial technology and cultivate students as professional and technical talents with management practice.
  
The National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology learned clutchless oyster breeding technology, microalgae culture technology, high pressure shucking & sterilization technology and multiple oyster cleaning technology of food safety certification systems from Auburn University and Nagasaki University to cultivate more fleshy oysters than similarly aged traditional breeds, and the LED microalgae cultivation technology was introduced as well. Teachers and students learned the technology of shucking and sterilization to achieve the most complete nutritional intake for raw oysters. Moreover, the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) food safety certification system for aquatic products was implemented to ensure food safety of Taiwanese oysters from seedling cultivation to table eating. Furthermore, establishing the international aquatic talent cultivation model will not only promote the upgrading of the traditional aquaculture industry, enhance the value of oysters and increase the income of fishermen, but also upgrade the management mode of the traditional aged self-employed workforce to an organizational enterprise mode to solve the dilemma of the aged population of the traditional oyster workers.

The National Pingtung University of Science and Technology cooperated with the Dalum Academy of Agricultural Business to learn the modes of the swine rearing industry and to incorporate the local demands to develop practical talent for technical skills cultivation and interdisciplinary combination of industries. Teachers from Dalum Academy of Agricultural Business, using their own teaching materials and cooperating with domestic experts, offer 596 hours of talent cultivation flipped courses, including basic talent training courses for swine raising, talent cultivation courses for swine raising management, and advanced talent cultivation courses for swine raising professional technology. These flipped courses covered the comprehensive knowledge required by swine raising management and industry, and adopted interactive teaching to inspire students to think. Through practical problem solving, students could brainstorm and emphasize both theory and practice, so that the content of the flipped courses was rich, diversified and complementary, and thus students could understand the differences between the domestic and the Danish swine industries.
   
After more than a year of trial, the project has shown initial results in terms of deepening technical exchanges, enhancing students' practical learning, providing professional teacher cooperation and the introduction of course teaching models between schools and international cooperation schools. Students participating in this program can not only enhance their international experience, but also acquire the professional skills and become the high-quality professional and technical talents required by the industry.

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Mon, 04 May 2020 02:53:00 GMThttps://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20751-71b92-1.html20751新聞工作小組
<![CDATA[Orientation for Spring Semester Students]]>https://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20620-77e0b-1.htmlVery understandably, the CODVID-19 outbreak is making more and more students who have been looking forward to going to Taiwan to study feel anxious and very concerned about being able to obtain their visas. In order to alleviate the situation, on 28 February, 2020 the Education Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Ho Chi Minh City hosted an orientation seminar for the students who’ll be starting their studies in the spring semester.

This is the second orientation that the Education Division has hosted. It warmly welcomed the students on behalf of Taiwan’s government and told them that the Education Division hopes that, after they complete their studies in Taiwan and return to Vietnam, they will contribute in many ways to social and economic cooperation between Vietnam and Taiwan. This will definitely enhance mutually beneficial development.

The Education Division explained the government’s CODVID-19 policy to the Vietnamese students and what it’s doing to protect the people and maintain their health. The Education Division also gave examples of what the government and specialists are doing to fight the virus. As well as having these current concerns addressed, the students received other helpful information and were able to ask other questions.  

The students who attended the orientation felt that they had their CODVID-19 concerns seriously addressed. They also learned a lot about Taiwan and they are looking forward to going there to study.

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Wed, 25 Mar 2020 02:50:00 GMThttps://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20620-77e0b-1.html20620新聞工作小組
<![CDATA[Promoting Mandarin Learning & TOCFL in Malaysia]]>https://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20643-4f8b0-1.htmlThe 2020 Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL) in Malaysia, organized by the Education Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia, will be held at Kuen Cheng High School on April 25, and people can register for the test until March 25.

More and more Malaysians are learning Mandarin Chinese and TOCFL is a standardized test to determine learners’ proficiency levels. It corresponds with CEFR and ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines.

A press conference was held at Kuen Cheng High School on February 17 to announce the TOCFL tests in April and invite interested members of the public to register.

During the press conference, Charlin Chang, the director of the Education Division pointed out that the public and corporate sectors both prefer to employ skilled professionals who are also multilingual.

With over a billion language users, Mandarin is now one of the most spoken languages in the world. Learning a new language is definitely a bonus to one’s competitiveness in the global marketplace and for effective communication and mutual understanding in any multicultural society, and learning Mandarin is undeniably an excellent choice.

Charlin Chang took the opportunity to outline the many resources Taiwan provides that can help Malaysians learn Mandarin. These include a free introductory level online course Learning Chinese: Start from Scratch, on the Coursera platform. (https://www.coursera.org/teach/learn-chinese-mandarin).

Malaysian students can also contact the Education Division to apply for various scholarship programs to do further study in Taiwan: for example the Taiwan Scholarship Program for undertaking a degree, the Huayu Enrichment Scholarship program for undertaking Mandarin language studies, and the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF) Scholarship Program

International schools and language centers that are considering having their students do the TOCFL tests can also contact the Education Division and arrange a free Pilot Test of the TOCFL. This is not the formal test and test-takers won’t receive a certificate but the Pilot Test can help educational institutions to evaluate their students’ language proficiency and their learning outcomes, and familiarize themselves with the formal TOCFL test procedures.

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Fri, 10 Apr 2020 02:49:00 GMThttps://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20643-4f8b0-1.html20643M.O.E.
<![CDATA[15th Taiwan Japan Student Conference Held in Tokyo]]>https://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20618-390db-1.htmlThe Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan hosted a welcome party for participants in the 15th Japan Taiwan Student Conference in Shinjuku in Tokyo, on February 9, 2020. It was attended by a representative of the Japan–Taiwan Exchange Association, sixty Taiwanese and Japanese university students, and a special guest was Mr. Wada Kenichiro (和田健一郎). He is now a member of the Shiroi City Council in Chiba Prefecture but he was one of the cadres involved in the very first conference. He himself studied in Taiwan, and based on his experience there, he encourages Japanese students to consider studying there and to take exchanges with Taiwan as an opportunity to build up their global vision, and become actively involved on the international stage in the future.

Huang Guan-Chao, the Director of the Education Division of TECRO Japan, welcomed all the university students from Taiwan and Japan. He told them that he hoped that this conference would give them a deeper understanding of the cultural differences between the two countries, and also encourage them to study abroad.

Speaking as a senior member of the community who had studied in Taiwan, Wada Kenichiro expressed his hopes that young Japanese and Taiwanese students would be open-minded about each other's cultural differences and respect and understand the multicultural contexts we now have. This will help us achieve the real purpose of communication.

Japanese university students established the Japan Taiwan Student Conference group in 2005, to promote exchanges between young students in Taiwan and in Japan. This group has been cooperating with its counterpart group in Taiwan, the Taiwan–Japan Student Exchange Association, since 2006, and holding an annual conference in Taiwan and Japan, alternating year by year.

This year’s 15th conference was held in Tokyo, from February 8 to February 13. It included a range of activities and presentations, and the participating students from Taiwan and Japan discussed issues related to multicultural symbiosis, the environment, economics, medical care, labor, and education.

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Wed, 25 Mar 2020 02:45:00 GMThttps://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20618-390db-1.html20618新聞工作小組
<![CDATA[Three Key Russian Universities Participate in National Taichung University of Education’s Spectacular Taiwan Culture Winter Camp, 2020]]>https://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20617-6c432-1.htmlIn late January, a group of Russians took part in the 2020 Spectacular Taiwan Culture Winter Camp together with participants from other countries, including the Czech Republic, Korea, Romania, and the Philippines. The seven students and two teachers were from three key Russian universities—Moscow State Pedagogical University, Moscow City University, and Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University.

The Winter Camp was organized by National Taichung University of Education to give the participants more knowledge and understanding of Taiwanese culture, and Mandarin Chinese.  It included classes on Mandarin Chinese, calligraphy, aboriginal culture, Tai Chi, and Taiwanese puppets, and excursions to a Sunny Cake factory, a Taiwan Folk Museum, and scenic spots, such as Sun-Link-Sea Forest and Nature Resort, and Miaoli City. All the participants loved the beautiful scenery of Sun Moon Lake, and Waterland.

The two Russian students from Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University were really surprised by the Mandarin Chinese classes: the students played cards as part of their learning activities, and they studied the most basic words that would be useful for communicating with the locals, in the form of a game. And that made everything easier to remember. Other aspects of Taiwan that surprised all the participants included how freely Taiwanese people can walk down the street late in the evening with a sense of safety; how friendly and good-natured the local people are; and that many locals can speak English, if not fluently, and that they were always willing to give the international visitors a hand.

There’s been a sharp increase in the number of Mandarin Chinese learners in the past few years, in response to the Russian Federal Government decision to include Mandarin Chinese as one of the options in the Foreign Language category of the Unified National Examination and other policies, and the number is expected to keep rising. Each year the Education Division of the Taipei–Moscow Economic and Cultural Coordination Commission works with several major Russian universities implementing the Language Exchange Program, to encourage more Russian students to study Mandarin Chinese in Taiwan and experience Chinese culture firsthand.

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Wed, 25 Mar 2020 02:44:00 GMThttps://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20617-6c432-1.html20617新聞工作小組
<![CDATA[Sedimentary Geology Research Group from the University of Innsbruck Makes a Research Trip to Taiwan]]>https://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20616-3bb72-1.htmlA group of about 30 people from the University of Innsbruck—professors, PhD and master’s degree students, and other students—took part in a Sedimentary Geology research and study trip to Taiwan from February 3 to February 21. The University of Innsbruck is located in the middle of the Easter Alps and the university has a long tradition of research of mountain regions worldwide.

Taiwan has more than 268 peaks over 3000 meters, making it an ideal place for mountain research for people working in a wide range of disciplines. Taiwan is very active tectonically and also experiences frequent typhoons, and this gives Taiwan uniquely high rates of uplift, precipitation, denudation, and sedimentation: the rates are several orders higher compared to those in the Alps.  Prof. Michael Strasser led the Sedimentary Geology Working Group of the University of Innsbruck and interdisciplinary colleagues’ researchers and students from Austria to Taiwan, where they interacted with Taiwanese colleagues and students, and colleagues from other European countries and Japan.

During their stay, the Austrian researchers and students attended a workshop on Extreme Events Archived in Geological Records: Opportunities and Challenges at the Institute of Oceanography of National Taiwan University, with twenty Taiwanese scientists. They engaged in field sampling and lab work for a pilot study project in central Taiwan, and they discussed and addressed a wide range of topics relevant to different aspects of mountain areas. These included geohazards, climate related changes, active tectonics, mountain building processes, the impact of globalization on the ecology, environment-human interactions …. in a source-to-sink context (i.e. from mountain tops to deep oceans).

This study and research visit and related efforts have enhanced the current research cooperation between Taiwan and Austria and helped to provide an interdisciplinary platform for the students who will become future mountain research leaders.

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Wed, 25 Mar 2020 02:41:00 GMThttps://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20616-3bb72-1.html20616新聞工作小組
<![CDATA[The Foundation La main à la pâte & Taiwan’s K-12 Education Administration look forward to further cooperation]]>https://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20615-0e76a-1.htmlThe Foundation la main à la pâte was established in 2011 by the prestigious French Academy of Sciences, and two tertiary-level teacher training institutions: the École Normale Supérieure (Paris), and the École Normale Supérieure of Lyon. The Foundation works to improve the quality of the teaching of science and technology and promote inquiry-based learning in elementary and secondary schools. It conducts activities in France and Europe and wider afield, internationally.

With the assistance of the Education Division of the Taipei Representative Office in Paris, the K-12 Education Administration of Taiwan’s Ministry of Education began working with LAMAP on inquiry-based science education in 2015. The following years have seen education specialists from Taiwan take part in LAMAP’s international seminars, and LAMAP lecturers attend workshops in Taiwan. LAMAP’s president and founders have also visited Taiwan.

With a view to strengthening their scientific education-related cooperation, Ms. Tai Shu-fen (戴淑芬), the Deputy Director-General of the MOE’s K-12 Education Administration held a video with Daniel Rouan, the president of LAMAP, Laurence Constantini, coordinator of its international relations sector, and Lu Meichen, director of the Education Division. The discussion focused on direct and indirect participating in each other’s educational events, and translation and adaptation of teaching materials.

LAMAP agreed to facilitate Taiwan’s participation in a workshop later this year in Italy, health circumstances permitting, and in its future activities. It provided a list of its online pedagogic resources and discussed seeking permission for useful publications in French to be translated into Chinese, for schools and teachers in Taiwan. Both parties agreed to sign an MOU in the near future on education related cooperation between them.

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Wed, 25 Mar 2020 02:40:00 GMThttps://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20615-0e76a-1.html20615新聞工作小組
<![CDATA[New Language Assistant Exchange Project between the French-speaking Community of Belgium and Taiwan]]>https://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20614-57750-1.htmlWallonia-Brussels International in Belgium and the Ministry of Education of Taiwan signed an exchange agreement on December 25, 2019. It strengthens education ties and gives Belgian and Taiwanese students an opportunity to discover each other’s country, while working as a language assistant for nine months. Each successful student applicant will assist a local teacher with teaching their mother tongue, and preparing extracurricular activities. They’ll receive a monthly stipend and also have their return airfare reimbursed.

The purpose of these exchanges is to promote language learning by providing local teachers and students with opportunities to interact with native speakers, and to promote mutual understanding of each other’s culture and society through activities. They will also broaden the horizons of the participating students who work as language assistants. During their time abroad they’ll function as ambassadors of their own culture and language to enhance people’s interest and ultimately lead to further exchanges between Taiwan and the Federation Wallonia-Brussels.

Wallonia-Brussels International has previously signed similar exchange agreements with European countries such as Ireland, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, and Spain. This exchange agreement with Taiwan is the first one signed with a non-European country.

In February 2020 the first call for applications was launched. For more information about the exchange, and about future opportunities to apply, please visit the website: http://www.wbi.be/fr/news/news-item/decouvrez-taiwan-soutenant-lenseignement-du-francais-devenez-auxiliaire-conversation#.Xld4PGhKiUk

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Wed, 25 Mar 2020 02:32:00 GMThttps://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20614-57750-1.html20614新聞工作小組
<![CDATA[Education Division of TECO in Los Angeles Promotes Chinese Language Learning at a Travel Show]]>https://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20613-b575d-1.htmlRebecca Lan, Director of the Education Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Los Angeles spent the weekend with the Taiwan Tourism Bureau at the Taiwan Booth at the annual Los Angeles Travel & Adventure Show at the Los Angeles Convention Center February 15–16. She took advantage of this ideal opportunity to promote Taiwan as a perfect study destination for learning Mandarin Chinese: learners can boost their language skills and experience some of Taiwan’s beauty and cultural life at the same time.

Another option for learning Mandarin Chinese offers some similar features closer to home. In the last two years, the Ministry of Education of Taiwan worked with National Taiwan University to develop two online Chinese courses: Learning Chinese: Start from Scratch, an introductory level course, and Who is Speaking: The Lovely Taiwan, an intermediate level course. Both incorporate some of Taiwan’s beautiful natural scenery and culture, and game components into the lessons to enhance learners’ interest and enjoyment. The courses are fully online, free of charge on Coursera, so why not try them out?   

As well as promoting Chinese language learning, the Education Division also works with several mainstream universities and schools, and Chinese schools to conduct the Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL). TOCFL is Taiwan’s Chinese language proficiency test. TOCFL is widely recognized across corporate and government sectors as a reliable language proficiency credential, and it’s also a requirement for students applying for many scholarships or degree programs in Taiwan.

You can check out the webpage at http://www.tw.org/tocfl/ for more information about TOCFL Tests were scheduled to be held at Chapman University on April 10, the University of California at Santa Barbara on April 18, and Pasadena City College on April 25, but the corona virus pandemic will almost certainly prevents this. If so, there’ll definitely be regular opportunities, so in the meantime, please follow all the health recommendations and stay healthy.

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Wed, 25 Mar 2020 02:30:00 GMThttps://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20613-b575d-1.html20613新聞工作小組
<![CDATA[TECO New York Hosts Panel Discussion on Taiwan’s 2020 Elections with Foreign Policy Research Institute]]>https://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20612-eb86b-1.htmlThe Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in New York and the Philadelphia-based Foreign Policy Research Institute jointly organized Taiwan’s 2020 Elections: Results and Implications, a panel discussion on Taiwan’s recent presidential and legislative elections. The panel discussion was held at the TECO office on January 16, not long after citizens across Taiwan cast their votes for the president, vice-president, and members of the Legislative Yuan, Taiwan’s national law-making body on January 11. It was attended by more than 100 politicians, academics, students, Taiwanese community members, and journalists.

The discussion was moderated by Carol Rollie Flynn, president of the Foreign Policy Research Institute and the panelists were Jacques deLisle, Director of the its Asia Program; David Rank, a Senior Fellow at the Yale Jackson Institute of Global Affairs; Vincent Wang, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Adelphi University; and Shelley Rigger, a professor of political science at Davidson College.

In her opening remarks, Lily Hsu, the Director-General of TECO New York, stated that the Taiwanese people had strongly exercised their democratic right to vote on January 11, with more than 14 million people casting ballots, representing a high voter turnout of 74.9%. The incumbent president, Tsai Ing-wen, won another four-year term, and the Democratic Progressive Party retained a majority of seats in the Legislative Yuan.

Following the election, more than seventy leaders and officials from around the world sent congratulatory messages, applauding Taiwan on a successful election. These included the U.S. Secretary of State, the Japanese Foreign Minister, the British Foreign Secretary, and the European Union External Action Service. Director-General Lily Hsu pointed out that Taiwan’s election had attracted a high degree of international attention, with particular focus on the values that Taiwan embodies. The electoral process was fair and transparent, demonstrating the Taiwanese people’s resolve to maintain their freedom and democratic way of life. And as President Tsai stated in her acceptance speech, “All countries should consider Taiwan a partner, not an issue.”

Director-General Lily Hsu thanked the Foreign Policy Research Institute for jointly organizing the panel discussion with TECO. The discussion analyzed the significance of the election results and their implications for Taiwan’s domestic political and economic development, and the ramifications for Taiwan’s external relations, including the Taiwan–U.S. relationship, Cross-Strait relations, and regional ties. The panelists also raised the potential challenges that President Tsai will face in her second term, the future development of various political parties, and social issues in Taiwan. The Education Division of TECO New York invited Taiwanese students studying in New York to attend this panel discussion and the students demonstrated their serious interest and enthusiasm by asking many provocative questions.

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Wed, 25 Mar 2020 02:26:00 GMThttps://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20612-eb86b-1.html20612新聞工作小組
<![CDATA[Multiple Pathways Series – Taiwan Higher Education]]>https://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20577-c3789-1.htmlMs. Sophia Hsiang Ping Ma, Principal Deputy Director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, attended a Multiple Pathways Series seminar on Taiwan’s Higher Education. The seminar was jointly organized by the Hong Kong Association of Careers Masters and Guidance Masters, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Hong Kong, and the University Entrance Committee for Overseas Chinese Students. It was attended by about 110 people, including Hong Kong careers and guidance teachers, school principals, and students, and there was a lot of interaction between the speakers and the participants.

The three-session seminar was designed to introduce new some teaching methodology to Hong Kong careers and guidance teachers, along with details of opportunities to learn more, and to provide a range of information about Taiwan’s higher education sector. Dr. Chang Yu-Ju from the Department of Counseling Psychology and Human Resource Development at National Chi Nan University presented the first session, on SEN (Special Educational Needs) Students at Schools: Intervention and Understanding. She outlined a range of methods and approaches that Hong Kong teachers with SEN students can use.

The second session, conducted by the University Entrance Committee for Overseas Chinese Students, was on how to apply to attend universities in Taiwan. The presenters offered some special tips for students on writing study plans to include in their university admission applications.

Ms. Ma conducted the third session, on Taiwan’s higher education sector and its strengths.

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Wed, 04 Mar 2020 08:17:00 GMThttps://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20577-c3789-1.html20577新聞工作小組
<![CDATA[Japanese Primary & Secondary School Teachers Visit Taiwan]]>https://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20576-7498c-1.htmlThe Education Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in Japan organizes a study visit to Taiwan by a delegation of Japanese primary and secondary school teachers each year, to promote exchanges between teachers in primary and secondary schools in Taiwan and teachers in in primary and secondary schools Japan. This year is the 35th.

The Education Division of TECRO in Japan organized a study visit to Taiwan for a delegation of 29 Japanese primary and secondary school teachers from January 3 to 7, 2020. The theme of this year's study visit was Gender equality education. The teachers visited the Ministry of Education in Taiwan, primary and secondary schools, and attended seminars, to learn how Taiwan’s education addresses gender equality and learn about Taiwan's education developments in other areas.

The visiting teachers were impressed by the gender equality measures in being implemented in Taiwan’s schools and they considered this an excellent example for Japanese schools to follow. They were also amazed to see schools with unisex restrooms, literally called “gender-friendly restrooms”. Twenty-two schools in Taiwan already have these, in addition to the traditional separate male restrooms and female restrooms.

Parents in Taiwan and Japan place equally high value on their children's education. The visiting teachers confirmed that Japanese parents have considerable expectations of school education, and for this reason, teachers place great emphasis on professional development and constantly improving their teaching methods. Taiwan and Japan have a similar cultural background and international exchanges like this allow teachers working in different systems but sharing the same commitment to their students, to share details and views of different teaching methods. 

The teachers found the visit very fruitful, both for their future teaching work, and for promoting friendly understanding between Taiwan and Japan.

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Wed, 04 Mar 2020 08:15:00 GMThttps://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-14-20576-7498c-1.html20576新聞工作小組