University looking for Latin American students

"The size of the scholarships is still being determined."

Wu Chung-yu, Chiao Tung University president

National Chiao Tung University said yesterday it had signed an agreement with the heads of 17 universities in Central and South America to recruit students to study Mandarin or pursue advanced degrees in Taiwan.

Chiao Tung University president Wu Chung-yu (吳重雨) said that although most of Taiwan's 23 diplomatic allies are in Central and South America, students from that region make up less than 1 percent of the foreign students in Taiwan.

"To encourage elite students from the region to study in Taiwan, the Ministry of Education has designated the university as a conduit to recruit students," Wu said.

He headed an academic exchange delegation that visited Argentina, Guatemala, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic between Feb. 23 and March 7.

Wu said that the delegation had attended a conference in the Dominican Republic hosted by 17 national universities from eight Latin American countries and signed an agreement under which 20 scholarships will be offered initially for study in Taiwan.

Ten of the scholarships will be offered to students who wish to pursue masters or doctoral degrees over three years, while the other 10 will be made available to students who wish to study Mandarin for one year.

"The size of the scholarships is still being determined," Wu said.

The delegation signed a memorandum of cooperation with Argentina's Universidad Nacional Del Sur on academic exchanges.