In light of the nation’s low birthrate, the Ministry of Education is encouraging public and private universities to launch “special international programs” to attract overseas Taiwanese and foreign students who might not be fluent in Mandarin.
The policy, set to begin in August, aims to enroll 1,000 students specializing in manufacturing, construction, agriculture and long-term care, the ministry said, adding that the government hopes to triple the number of overseas Taiwanese and foreign students from 14,000 at present to 42,000 in 2030.
Only students with A2-level Mandarin are currently allowed to study in Taiwan, with the only exception being the New Southbound International Programs of Industry-Academia Collaboration, which do not require students to be fluent in Mandarin.
Photo: Rachel Lin, Taipei Times
Students who enroll in the “special international programs” should know basic Mandarin and English before coming to Taiwan, the ministry said.
After they learn Mandarin for one year and reach A2 level, they can major in four areas — manufacturing, construction, agriculture and long-term care — or take specialty classes that fall under the program, the ministry said.
However, they are required to pass B1-level Mandarin when they are in their second year, it added.
Universities should offer at least 15 hours of Mandarin classes per week and at least 720 hours each year, the ministry said, adding that it would provide participating universities with a NT$1 million (US$34,837) subsidy and offer a grant of NT$50,000 to every student who takes Mandarin classes, it added.
Only universities that have had no issues regarding recruitment in the past three years, and have solid language education and counseling resources can participate, Department of Higher Education Deputy Director-General Chu Chun-chang (朱俊彰) said.
Most university presidents supported the plan, but voiced concern that the incentives offered might not be enough, as the original quota for international students has not yet been filled.
National Sun Yat-sen University president Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀) said that learning Mandarin for a year first could help overseas Taiwanese and foreign students do better in their studies.
However, providing quality education is more crucial in drawing international students, Cheng added.
National Chi Nan University president Wuu Dong-sing (武東星) said that Taiwan is a stepping stone for many overseas Taiwanese and foreign students to study, work and live in Europe and the US.
The policy of learning Mandarin for a year is appealing to students who cannot speak fluent Chinese, but the key to retaining talent is offering higher salaries so that they stay in Taiwan to work after they graduate, he said.
Apart from the special programs for international students, which focus on enrolling undergraduate students, there is another route overseas Taiwanese and foreign students can take to study in Taiwan, Chu said.
Departments that focus on key industrial fields, such as intelligent mechanics, biotech, pharmaceuticals, green energy technology, national defense and the circular economy can enroll undergraduate and graduate students, he said.
FIREPOWER: On top of the torpedoes, the military would procure Kestrel II anti-tank weapons systems to replace aging license-produced M72 LAW launchers Taiwan is to receive US-made Mark 48 torpedoes and training simulators over the next three years, following delays that hampered the navy’s operational readiness, the Ministry of National Defense’s latest budget proposal showed. The navy next year would acquire four training simulator systems for the torpedoes and take receipt of 14 torpedoes in 2027 and 10 torpedoes in 2028, the ministry said in its budget for the next fiscal year. The torpedoes would almost certainly be utilized in the navy’s two upgraded Chien Lung-class submarines and the indigenously developed Hai Kun, should the attack sub successfully reach operational status. US President Donald Trump
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) is expected to start construction of its 1.4-nanometer chip manufacturing facilities at the Central Taiwan Science Park (CTSP, 中部科學園區) as early as October, the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) reported yesterday, citing the park administration. TSMC acquired land for the second phase of the park’s expansion in Taichung in June. Large cement, construction and facility engineering companies in central Taiwan have reportedly been receiving bids for TSMC-related projects, the report said. Supply-chain firms estimated that the business opportunities for engineering, equipment and materials supply, and back-end packaging and testing could reach as high as
ALL QUIET: The Philippine foreign secretary told senators she would not respond to questions about whether Lin Chia-lung was in the country The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday confirmed that a business delegation is visiting the Philippines, but declined to say whether Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) is part of the group, as Philippine lawmakers raised questions over Lin’s reported visit. The group is being led by Deputy Minister of Agriculture Huang Chao-chin (黃昭欽), Chinese International Economic Cooperation Association (CIECA) chairman Joseph Lyu (呂桔誠) and US-Taiwan Business Council (USTBC) vice president Lotta Danielsson, the ministry said in a statement. However, sources speaking on condition of anonymity said that Lin is leading the delegation of 70 people. Filinvest New Clark City Innovation Park
TPP RALLY: The clashes occurred near the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall on Saturday at a rally to mark the anniversary of a raid on former TPP chairman Ko Wen-je People who clashed with police at a Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) rally in Taipei on Saturday would be referred to prosecutors for investigation, said the Ministry of the Interior, which oversees the National Police Agency. Taipei police had collected evidence of obstruction of public officials and coercion by “disorderly” demonstrators, as well as contraventions of the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法), the ministry said in a statement on Sunday. It added that amid the “severe pushing and jostling” by some demonstrators, eight police officers were injured, including one who was sent to hospital after losing consciousness, allegedly due to heat stroke. The Taipei
RSS