PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) annual convention, a major event in language education, took place from Nov. 22 to 24 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Taiwan's delegation, led by the Foundation for International Cooperation in Higher Education of Taiwan (FICHET), included representatives from Taiwan's Ministry of Education, Overseas Community Affairs Council, National Academy for Educational Research, Steering Committee for the Test of Proficiency-Huayu, the Fulbright Taiwan Foundation for Scholarly Exchange, 13 universities, and industry partners. In all, 20 institutions promoted Taiwan's strengths in Mandarin education. The delegation was joined by Taiwan's six Education Division offices in the U.S. to advance collaboration in Mandarin education.
As a landmark event, sponsored by the American Institute in Taiwan has partnered with the Ministry of Education Taiwan and FICHET to organize the first Taiwan-U.S. Mandarin Education Symposium during the ACTFL conference to deepen educational cooperation between Taiwan and the United States. A featured session, chaired by Dr. Randall Nadeau, executive director of the Fulbright Taiwan Foundation, included discussions with key figures in U.S. Mandarin education, including Taiwan's representative to New York, Ambassador and Director General Tom Chih-Chiang Lee, Ingrid Larson, Managing Director of the American Institute in Taiwan Washington Headquarters, and ACTFL President L.J. Randolph Jr. Through these discussions, the event aimed to foster further collaboration in Mandarin education between the two nations.
Speakers included Alabama's incoming education commissioner, Eric Mackey, and representatives from New Jersey City University and University of Pennsylvania, who shared their experiences with Taiwan's Mandarin programs. Christine Loven-Santos, principal of Denver Language School, also attended, underscoring the growing importance of Mandarin in the U.S. K-12 education system and setting a foundation for future collaboration in early education.
Ambassador Lee highlighted Taiwan's reputation as a hub for Mandarin education, noting its supportive learning environment, high-quality teaching resources, safe and free society, and unique blend of traditional and modern culture. With more than 3,000 American students currently studying Mandarin in Taiwan, the country's appeal as a learning destination is growing.
FICHET Chairperson Wu Cheng-Chieh noted that under the Taiwan-U.S. Education Initiative and Taiwan's Mandarin Education 2025 Program, 21 Taiwanese universities have established partnerships with 70 U.S. institutions, and five Mandarin learning centers are now operating in the U.S. Taiwan has sent 147 Mandarin teachers to the U.S. this year alone to support these initiatives and meet the growing demand for Mandarin education.
The Learning Mandarin in Taiwan Pavilion, designed with a futuristic theme, highlights Taiwan's strength as a tech-driven nation and its connections to global technology development. Participating universities are showcasing diverse Mandarin programs, including customized courses, professional studies, and cultural immersion, aimed at attracting more international students to Taiwan for a comprehensive cultural and linguistic experience.
On the evening of Nov. 22, the FICHET hosted the Taiwan Night reception at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, featuring remarks from Chairperson Wu, Ambassador Lee, and Sara Mathews, Director, Office of Press and Public Diplomacy, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. The event fostered vibrant exchanges between Taiwan and U.S. representatives, sparking new partnerships and reinforcing Taiwan's reputation as a top destination for learning Mandarin.