Scholars concluded yesterday that there will be short-term impacts on domestic educational institutions in Taiwan caused by the nation's WTO entry. However, attendees expressed confidence in the long-term outlook.
Sponsored by National Policy Foundation and the Education Foundation, a forum was held yesterday to discuss the possible impact and influences accession will have on Taiwan's technical schools, colleges and universities.
Attendees were also charged with formulating measures to ameliorate potential problems which they expect will crop up after February when the trade body is expected to approve Taiwan's membership.
After entry, foreigners may establish tertiary institutions in Taiwan and study-abroad agencies will be permitted to recruit students directly, said Yang Chao-hsiang (楊朝祥), the forum's convener and former minister of education.
"We need to find an appropriate way to balance our policy of sheltering education from competition and our commitment to the free-market, " said Chao I (
"While there won't be much of a long-term impact vis-a-vis the opportunities Taiwanese students have to seek an overseas education," Yang said, "the short-term will see repercussions as a result of WTO admission."
One immediate impact could be that tertiary educational institutions will see student enrollments fall.
Another potential impact will be the influence of distance-learning programs -- offered by a growing number of US schools -- on enrollment, Yang said.
Distance-learning programs allow those who do not have time to physically attend class to participate in degree programs via the Internet and by mail, often at a lower cost.
Yang said however that the most serious impact on domestic educational institutions will come from universities in China.
Relatively cheaper tuition and a shared language are two of the factors that will attract Taiwanese students, Yang said.
Lee Chen-ching. (
"In the long run," Lee said, "all of these influences will serve as a catalyst for our educational institutes and stimulate development."
He added that as long as schools develop distinct curriculums "our domestic educational institutions stand a good chance of competing well with the foreign ones."
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