The 2022 Taiwan Higher Education and Mandarin Chinese Learning Virtual Fair (https://edufair.aicee.org.tw/), which is designed exclusively for international students to obtain information to study in Taiwan, kicks off on May 1, 2022 and will last for 2 months until June 30, 2022. Organized by the non-profit Association of International Cultural and Educational Exchange Taiwan (AICEE Taiwan), in collaboration with 45 universities and 16 Mandarin Chinese language centers in Taiwan, this virtual event aims to demonstrate the high quality of higher education and Mandarin Chinese language learning that Taiwan offers.
The AICEE Fair will showcase the features of the participating universities, English-taught programs, scholarship opportunities, Mandarin Chinese language programs at all levels, and testimonies witnessed by the international students. In addition to the online exhibition, social media such as Facebook, YouTube and Instagram have been incorporated to serve as a platform for young students to communicate and interact. It also provides a one-stop service to assist prospective students in efficiently obtaining information and impressing them with high-quality education and reasonable tuition fees characterized by Taiwan’s higher education.
Director General Louis M. Huang of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles is among the guests of honor invited to give an opening speech. In his remarks, he addresses that “Taiwan is a country that upholds the values of freedom, democracy, respect for fundamental human rights, and the rule of law. These core values are very critical in cultivating a diverse, inclusive, innovative, free and democratic environment for researching, transferring knowledge and learning Mandarin Chinese. Therefore, Taiwan and the US launched the Taiwan-US Education Initiative on December 3, 2020, aimed at strengthening educational exchanges and expanding access to language instruction, while safeguarding academic freedom. As interest in studying abroad and learning Mandarin Chinese language remains strong among American and international students, Taiwan can and should play a key role in addressing that interest.”
He further mentions that “Taiwan has constantly been described by international friends as friendly, safe, convenient and dynamic. Taiwanese people are open-minded and love to engage with international friends. Taiwan is affordable to live in and the standard of living is very high. Health-care in Taiwan is world-class, as is transportation. Beyond providing an immersive environment, Taiwan’s democratic and multicultural environment, high-quality language centers and higher education institutions, establish Taiwan as one of Asia’s leading higher education hubs.”
Moreover, Director General Huang shares that Taiwan Scholarship and Huayu Enrichment Scholarship are provided by the government to encourage outstanding international students to pursue their degree studies or learn Chinese language in Taiwan. In addition, many universities also offer their own scholarships and fellowships. Nearly one million international students have chosen to study in Taiwan in the past ten years. Students come from different regions and have different cultural backgrounds and religious beliefs, but they all find their study journeys very rewarding and enjoyable, and consider Taiwan a truly incredible country to call home. He encourages students to study abroad to get out of their comfort zone and experience new cultures, while at the same time expanding their horizons and becoming global citizens to lead the future. He concludes, “All are welcome to join the tens of thousands of international students pursuing a degree or learning Mandarin Chinese in Taiwan. Studying in Taiwan is investing in your future! We invite you to see for yourself and experience all that Taiwan has to offer!”