Strengthening Taiwan-U.S. Education Partnership: FICHET at NAFSA 2024

TAIPEI, May 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The NAFSA 2024 Annual Conference & Expo took place in New Orleans, Louisiana from May 28 to 31. Dr. Cheng-Chih Wu, chairperson of the Foundation for International Cooperation in Higher Education of Taiwan (FICHET), led a delegation of 40 representatives from 20 Taiwanese universities and institutions to participate in the expo. The delegation's participation aimed to expand cooperation between higher education institutions in Taiwan and the United States.

NAFSA, the world's largest international education event, brought together nearly 10,000 delegates from over 100 countries. The theme of the 76th annual conference —"Resilience. Renewal. Community." —positions NAFSA as the platform for global communities working together to foster resilience in the post-pandemic era, support educational renewal, and build stronger local and global communities.

Based on the "Technology Island" theme, the Study in Taiwan Pavilion at the expo spotlighted Taiwan's advancements in science and technology. Using blue and green hues to symbolize innovations, the design highlighted key technologies such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, space satellites, circular economy, and healthcare. This emphasized Taiwan's commitment to advancing higher education in alignment with global technological development and its determination to contribute to the international community through collaborative efforts.

Dr. Wu, underscored the longstanding partnership between Taiwan and the United States in higher education. Since the launch of the U.S.-Taiwan Education Initiative in 2020, both sides have enjoyed free and open educational exchanges for global talent development. Higher education institutions from Taiwan have signed 26 cooperation agreements with 24 states in the U.S., and the U.S. Department of State continues to show support for Taiwan's Bilingual 2030 Program. As of 2024, 3,000 American students are studying Mandarin in Taiwan, and 66 Taiwan Centers for Mandarin Learning have been established in the U.S. Both have reached new heights, demonstrating the robust relationship between Taiwan and the U.S.

Taiwan chose the Loews New Orleans Hotel as the venue for 2024 Taiwan-U.S. Higher Education Symposium on May 29. This marked the third consecutive year for Taiwan to organize symposiums in the U.S., a testament to its commitment to advancing the goals of the U.S.-Taiwan Education Initiative. The symposium facilitated discussions among 60 participants, including Dr. Wu, officials from the Education Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston (TECO Houston), and university representatives from both countries. Topics included Mandarin language education and recent cooperation in higher education and research projects, aiming to foster further mutual understanding and cooperation.

The symposium was followed by the Taiwan Night networking event in the evening. In addition to FICHET, TECO Houston, U.S. Department of State and City of New Orleans officials, Taiwanese university representatives and their global partners from 30 different universities took part in the dinner. There were about 150 attendees at the event, engaging in discussions to strengthen bilateral friendships.

Building on past success, FICHET arranged Taiwan-Czech Networking Event on May 28, where representatives from 12 Taiwanese and 8 Czech universities met and discussed collaboration opportunities. Participating Czech universities included Charles University, Brno University of Technology, Czech Technical University in Prague, and University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague. This initiative served as a foundation to possible future in-person forums that will continue enhancing cooperation between Taiwan and Czechia.

SOURCE Foundation for International Cooperation in Higher Education of Taiwan (FICHET)