Mandarin-language instructors from National Taiwan Normal University’s (NTNU) Mandarin Training Center on Friday last week protested outside the university, demanding better labor rights and protections, with a focus on ending three-month contracts.
Out of the center’s 90 instructors, 73 have joined the Taiwan Higher Education Union to collectively bargain with the university.
In October 2024, the Ministry of Labor said the center’s instructors are governed by the Labor Standards Act (勞動基準法) rather than the Teachers’ Act (教師法), which covers most other NTNU lecturers and staff.
Despite this ruling, the university has yet to provide instructors with the basic rights mandated by the act, such as sick leave, marital leave and annual leave. Teachers reported that if they wish to take time off, they must pay for a substitute.
The protesters released a draft of their demands, which included requiring NTNU to comply with the act’s provisions on stable employment, transparent hiring systems, pay, evaluations, course assignments and better treatment.
Unfortunately, it is common for university Mandarin instructors to be employed on short-term contracts, and they often lack the protections afforded to full-time staff. In 2024, the union reported a case at Chungyu University of Film and Arts where instructors were enrolled and withdrawn from labor insurance on the same day, and their retirement contributions were not properly allocated.
Educators taking to the streets has become an increasingly familiar scene in recent years, as job satisfaction and retention among teachers continue to decline amid difficult working conditions and administrative issues. However, the sight of Mandarin instructors at one of Taiwan’s most prestigious national universities demonstrating for labor rights carries a weight that extends beyond domestic issues.
Mandarin instructors are unique, as they play a dual role: They are not only educators, but cultural ambassadors of Taiwan’s soft power on the global stage. Since 2021, the Ministry of Education’s Huayu Enrichment Scholarship has sought to attract more foreign students to study Mandarin in Taiwan, fostering partnerships between Taiwanese and US universities. NTNU itself partners with at least five well-known US institutions, including Pennsylvania State University, Purdue University and the University of Maryland.
With long-standing initiatives such as the Huayu Enrichment Scholarship and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Scholarship, it is clear that the government is investing heavily in creating opportunities for foreign students to experience Taiwan’s language and culture firsthand.
So far, these efforts have largely succeeded. The number of foreign students attending university-affiliated Mandarin centers in Taiwan has more than tripled in less than two decades, increasing from about 9,135 in 2005 to 28,163 in 2024.
NTNU’s Mandarin center prides itself on being the largest and most renowned Mandarin language center in Taiwan. Government data showed that the center has consistently hosted more than 5,000 students annually over the past few years, accounting for nearly 20 percent of all foreign enrollment in 2024. It is indisputable that the center — and its instructors — are central to the nation’s goal of establishing itself as a global hub for Mandarin learning.
When international students arrive, Mandarin instructors often serve as one of the first points of contact. Their ability to fulfill this role effectively determines the quality of Taiwan’s Mandarin education and the nation’s reputation abroad.
It is unreasonable to expect top-tier language instruction and cultural exchange from people who are underpaid, do not have job security and have no guaranteed leave. NTNU has an opportunity to set an example not only for Taiwan’s other Mandarin language centers, but also for the international community observing the nation’s commitment to providing foreign students with quality education.
The center could not function without its teachers. As the backbone of Taiwan’s largest Mandarin language center, they deserve work conditions that provide them with dignity and stability, and adhere to the law. By setting an example in labor standards, NTNU would not only improve instructor morale, but also send a clear signal to other institutions about the value of fair treatment and professional respect in Mandarin education.
Correcting the course for Mandarin instructors is not just a matter of individual labor rights, but key to empowering those who are on the front lines of Taiwan’s cultural outreach. Ensuring that Mandarin teachers are respected, supported and secure in their work is essential in establishing Taiwan’s reputation as a first-choice destination for Mandarin learners, and sustaining the growth of its cultural and educational influence abroad.
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