On Nov. 11, the WTO's ministerial conference approved Taiwan's accession into the world trade body, marking the end of the nation's 12-year quest for entry. However, this was actually only the start of the trials the country must face in the process of WTO accession.
Take higher education for example. Taiwan's colleges and universities will soon be directly competing with foreign schools and they must prepare for the impact.
In its WTO entry package, Taiwan made four commitments in an effort to open its education market: Foreign tertiary educational institutions will be allowed to establish branch campuses, foreign schools will be allowed to provide classes via correspondence or distance-learning programs, foreign schools will be allowed to set up short-term teaching and training courses, and foreign study-abroad agencies will be allowed to recruit and process student applications for overseas programs.
The immediate impact is obvious -- enrollments in domestic higher educational institutions, especially private schools with fewer resources, will inevitably decline. Meanwhile, those who go abroad to study may choose to participate in such programs via the Internet or by mail. The most significant problem, however, lies in the competition from colleges and universities in China, as relatively cheaper tuition fees and a shared language will certainly attract a great number of students from Taiwan.
In response to these challenges, Minister of Education Ovid Tzeng (
First, the internationalization of the higher-education system is necessary. Both teachers and students need to acquire an international perspective. They also have to strengthen their foreign-language abilities. Some local institutions have actively promoted foreign-language education. For instance, National Taiwan University (台灣大學) is going to require students to pass an English proficiency test before graduation, while Ming Chuan University (銘傳大學) is planning to reduce tuition fees for those who pass an English proficiency test which is required by some departments.
Second, transnational acade-mic cooperation should be promoted. To prepare local schools for international competition, the education ministry has decided to establish a "Southeast Asia Academic League" to enhance academic exchanges between Taiwan and neighboring countries. The ministry should also promote student-exchange programs and other international activities so that our students can develop a broader understanding of other nations and their cultures.
Third, academic exchanges across the Taiwan Strait should be encouraged. Yuan Ze University (
The government must also come up with ways to allow the recognition of diplomas issued in China. In fact, more than 200 Taiwanese students have applied to study at Pekjing University (北京大學) this year, three times more than last year, showing that the government's refusal to recognize Chinese diplomas is indeed impractical.
At a time when Taiwan is entering into the WTO, both the government and schools must prepare for the possible impact on the educational system. Otherwise, Taiwan's higher-education sector may lose its competitiveness in the near future.
Chang Sheng-en is an english teacher at the English Advanced Association in Taipei.
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