Taiwan-India higher education forum wraps up

2019/06/25

The second Taiwan-India forum for university directors, presidents and vice chancellors concluded June 22 in the South Asian country, strengthening higher education cooperation between the two sides.
 
 Sponsored by the Ministry of Education, the one-day event in Warangal city was attended by representatives of more than 60 Taiwan and Indian tertiary institutions. Discussions spanned such topics as academic collaboration, talent cultivation, and sustainability and internationalization in school management.
 
 Bi Cheu-an, director-general of the Department of International and Cross-strait Education under the MOE, said the government is committed to bolstering education ties with the New Southbound Policy target country. Related measures include sponsoring Indians to pursue postgraduate degrees in Taiwan and funding exchange programs, he added.
 
 In 2018, these efforts saw a 56 percent year-on-year rise in the number of Indian students in Taiwan to a total of 2,398, with most majoring in areas like engineering and life sciences, Bi said.
 
 During the event, a memorandum of understanding on enhancing Taiwan-India academic ties was inked by Taipei City-based Foundation for International Cooperation in Higher Education of Taiwan and New Delhi-headquartered Association of Indian Universities. Under the pact, the two agreed to promote mutual recognition of diplomas and facilitate exchange programs for faculty and students.
 
 According to the MOE, Taiwan is among the 28 countries and territories in the Indian government’s Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration. The initiative aims to enhance the South Asian country’s research environment by advancing cooperation with tertiary institutions in the designated nations.
 
 A key plank in the government’s national development strategy, the NSP is enhancing Taiwan’s agricultural, business, cultural, education, tourism and trade ties with the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, six South Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand.

Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)