Deepening educational cooperation between Taiwan and the U.S., the "2024 Taiwan-U.S. International Education Administrators (IEA) Roundtable Networking" took place on March 22nd at the Center for Public and Business Administration Education, National Chengchi University. Co-organized by the Foundation for International Cooperation in Higher Education of Taiwan (FICHET) and Foundation for Scholarly Exchange (Fulbright Taiwan), the event brought together representatives from 25 universities in Taiwan and 14 universities in the United States, with nearly 50 delegates to explore bilateral cooperation.



Political Deputy Minister Mon-Chi Lio of the Ministry of Education pointed out that Taiwan-U.S. higher education cooperation has spanned decades, with over two thousand academic cooperation agreements signed cumulatively. Currently, there are over 21,830 Taiwanese students studying in the United States. Last year, 5,082 American students came to study in Taiwan, and among them, 3,080 are studying Mandarin, marking a historic high.  Deputy Minister Lio emphasized that since the launch of the "U.S.-Taiwan Education Initiative" at the end of 2020, the two countries have progressed to the fourth high-level dialogue earlier this month. Significant progress has been made in promoting Mandarin education in the United States and assisting Taiwan in enhancing English education. The Ministry of Education has facilitated cooperation between 20 Taiwanese universities and 56 American universities in the Taiwan Huayu BEST Program. Last year, 147 Mandarin teachers and teaching assistants were sent to the United States for teaching, while American universities hosted 38 Fulbright Foreign Language Assistants, expanding international perspectives and cultural exchanges.



Cheng-Chih Wu, Chairperson of FICHET stated that the United States is a key partner in Taiwan’s higher education sector. Both sides collaborate in training talents needed by the international community and industry markets, consolidating a solid partnership. Wu also expressed gratitude to Fulbright Taiwan for leading multiple visits of American international education managers to Taiwan, enabling effective and close communication platforms between Taiwanese and American universities.



Executive Director Randall Nadeau of Fulbright Taiwan stated that Fulbright offers diverse scholarship programs for Taiwanese teachers, scholars, and students, encouraging them to study in the United States. Through the Fulbright Program, American teachers and students are also sponsored to visit Taiwan for exchanges. With continued efforts and enthusiastic interactions from both sides, Executive Director Nadeau indicated that the number of academic and research exchanges will set new records.

During the keynote speech session, Yu-Hsuan Chuang, Section Chief of the Department of International and Cross-Strait Education, Ministry of Education briefed on the current status of Taiwan-U.S. education cooperation and introduced important education policies in Taiwan, including the Bilingual 2030 policy, semiconductor talent cultivation, and Higher Education SPROUT Project. She also highlighted the "U.S.-Taiwan Education Initiative" as a catalyst to continuing provide high-quality Mandarin learning environment for American students while enhancing diverse English education cooperation.

During the event, Fulbright IEA grantees from 14 higher education institutions, including Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of California San Diego, and the University of Florida, shared their experiences and insights. The networking discussions were particularly enthusiastic and vibrant, with representatives from both sides seizing the opportunity to facilitate significant exchange and communication. In addition to expanding international cooperation opportunities, the networking session also contributes to the sustainable academic development between Taiwan and the United States.