Political Deputy Minister of Education Mon-Chi Lio (劉孟奇) visited the U.K. this week to discuss student exchanges, higher and vocational education cooperation, and English and Chinese language learning. Lio says that Taiwan has policies to both strengthen the development of the Chinese language education market in Europe and the U.S. and assist in improving Chinese language capabilities.
Lio met the Department for Education Minister of State, Robert Halfon, and discussed ways to use Taiwan's additional funding to increase British student participation in Taiwan via the Turing Scheme. The British government subsidized scheme allows students at all levels to study and receive professional training overseas. Around 200 British students already benefit from the program yearly.
Lio says that last year, the Education Ministry launched the Mandarin Education 2025 Program with the U.K. as one of the key countries. The plan includes promoting Taiwan’s Chinese language learning and testing resources overseas, strengthening teacher training, and upgrading university language centers.
Other policies, including the Taiwan Huayu BEST Program launched in 2021, establish Chinese teaching centers abroad, send Taiwanese teachers to partner schools, and provide scholarships for foreign students to study in Taiwan. The U.K. boasts the highest European participation with six universities in the program.
Lio says that Taiwan is willing to negotiate with the British government to expand cooperation.