Taiwan Mandarin Educational Resources Center | Office of Global Mandarin Education

• Introduction

The Taiwan Mandarin Educational Resources Center was set up to integrate the resources and results of Chinese language education in Taiwan, expand recruitment of foreign students to come and learn Chinese in Taiwan, and lift the international profile of Taiwan’s Chinese language education. This will assist promotion and implementation of the Ministry of Education’s Eight-year Chinese Language Education Promotion Plan from 2013 to 2020 and create a distinctive Taiwan Chinese language education brand for international marketing.         

The Chinese language – Huayu – is fundamental to Taiwan’s culture and it is highly treasured. For many years the Ministry of Education has been promoting the Huayu Enrichment Scholarship Program, providing subsidies for groups of overseas teachers of Chinese and overseas students learning Chinese to undertake study trips to Taiwan, and providing subsidies for teachers from Taiwan to teach Chinese overseas, as part of its worldwide marketing of the Chinese language education that Taiwan offers. These measures have all contributed to increasing the number of students learning Chinese in Taiwan, and the footprints of Taiwan’s Chinese language education now spread all over the globe.

There is a worldwide enthusiasm for learning Chinese and Taiwan has already established niches in the international marketplace. The Ministry of Education is implementing the Eight-year Program to continue expanding Taiwan’s Chinese language education industry and become a driving force for both economic development, and soft power diplomacy. This requires a multidirectional approach that includes: identifying the demand for Chinese language education, strategic research and planning, creating an inventory of resources, and cross-sector industry cooperation, linking up skilled people, tourism, culture, and education. The Taiwan Mandarin Educational Resources Center was established to undertake these tasks and achieve the mission of giving Taiwan’s Chinese language education industry new vitality.

 The development of Taiwan’s Chinese language education into an industry has a very long history, and its outreach has expanded worldwide. It now incorporates hands-on and digital learning materials, and the quality of its teachers and teaching methods are widely recognized. The Office will work innovatively through its established niches to make Taiwan’s Chinese language education acclaimed worldwide.  

• Work Focus

The Office serves as a contact window for Chinese language education related services, and helps to introduce, promote, and administer the Eight-year Program. Its main tasks are:

1. Identifying demands, and strategic research and planning

• Collect information about overseas markets, and make an inventory of the development-related needs of the domestic Chinese language education industry;
• Provide strategy and planning recommendations to enhance the global presence of Taiwan’s Chinese language education industry.

2. Create an inventory of resources and match these with international markets

• Integrate the resources of the government, academic, research, and business sectors to boost the global Chinese language industry;
• Link educational institutions with related organizations engaged in overseas markets to promote Taiwan’s Chinese language education.

3.  Branding and international marketing

• Create a distinctive Taiwan Chinese language brand, featuring Taiwan’s refined culture and smart learning;
• Plan and organize activities featuring the Chinese language, and promote global Chinese education-related international exchange events.