Globalization Putting A Premium On Overseas Studies

Most modern nations emphasize education as an engine of progress, and Taiwan is no exception – in fact, it is famous for the rigor of its system. Recently, however, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has encouraged students to leave their native classrooms for foreign schools. The Taiwanese government is expanding scholarship programs that support not just term-time study abroad, but internships and cultural exchanges as well. CJ Liu, the Director General of the MOE’s Bureau of International Cultural and Educational Relations, stresses the importance of sharpening one’s English skills and absorbing global culture to participate more fully in the global market. As Liu argues, study abroad can help develop the student into a “global talent.” The ability to speak English and international acculturation, Taiwanese officials hope, would enable their students to compete on an equal footing with others in the increasingly level playing field of a ‘flat’ world. – YaleGlobal