The Ministry of Education Drives the Establishment of the Department of International Specialized Program
The Ministry of Education Drives the Establishment of the Department of International Specialized Program in Universities and Approves of Cheng Shiu University’s Admitting 106 International Students
Cheng Shiu University has made significant progress in its cooperation with the Ministry of Education in driving the establishment of the Department of International Specialized Program in universities. The university received the green light for expanding its admissions for the 2023 academic year. This expansion covered the Department of International Specialized Program, the Department of Industrial Engineering & Management, and the Department of Electrical Engineering. Currently, and all the 106 international students from Indonesia, Vietnam, and Cambodia have commenced their academic journey at Cheng Shiu University.
The “Department of International Specialized Program” initiative launched by the Ministry of Education aims to support students with poor language competency in attending a one-year Chinese language program in Taiwan (a minimum of 15 hours per week, totaling 720 hours a year). After successfully passing the Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (“TOCFL”), students will begin to study their majors. These students are granted NTD50,000 per person by the Ministry of Education as financial assistance.
This initiative targets four sectors, including manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and long-term care, with the first-year goal being to admit 1,000 students. As per the guidelines of the Ministry of Education, universities and colleges that run schools effectively, have had no admission shortfalls in the recent three years, are not under warning, and do not provide project guidance can apply to the Ministry of Education for the admission expansion for overseas Chinese and international students.
Cheng Shiu University’s achievements in implementing this initiative include the completion of the preparatory Chinese language courses by 38 students in the Department of Electronic Engineering in the 2022 academic year. Of these students, six passed the TOCFL B1, and 26 passed A2. The percentage of students passing the TOCFL A2 reached 84.2%. The dual-tutor system is employed for course teaching, with one tutor from the department and the other from the Office of International Affairs to provide daily life and academic guidance. Additionally, the tutoring process was recorded in the tutoring record book, which contains the records of care interviews conducted at the beginning and the end of the semester, as well as records of daily interviews.
The Indonesian twins, Jie Chen and Chih Chen, who were encouraged by their family to pursue studies in Taiwan last year, enthusiastically shared their love for the living environment in Taiwan. While working part-time, they formed friendships with the locals, giving them an opportunity to practice the Chinese language, and their language proficiency advanced more swiftly than their classmates. In May this year, they passed the TOCFL (level B1).
Vietnamese student Gao-Fu Fan recalled that he struggled to understand Chinese upon arriving in Taiwan, so he was hesitant to speak. Initially, he relied on the teaching assistant’s assistance in class. After completing the one-year preparatory Chinese language courses, and with the support of his family, he successfully passed the TOCFL (level A2), allowing him to continue his studies in Taiwan.
Shuenn-Ren Cheng, Vice Principal and Director of the Office of International Affairs, commended the academic accomplishments of the international students enrolled in the Department of International Specialized Program last year. He highlighted their willingness to share their learning experiences and serve as the “learning partners” of their junior schoolmates, fostering a supportive and collaborative learning environment!