The National Taipei University of Education has unveiled a center to nurture talent for the country’s New Southbound Policy.
The policy is a drive by the government to diversify Taiwan’s trade partners by strengthening trade ties with countries in Southeast Asia and with India.
Speaking at the opening ceremony on Friday, Deputy Education Minister Lin Teng-chiao said his ministry is planning to earmark NT$1 billion (US$33 million) to train talent for business management, Mandarin Chinese and Southeast Asian languages. Lin said he hopes that the scholarships provided by the center will promote more exchanges between Taiwan and the 10 ASEAN member countries.
The head of the “New Southbound” office, Huang Chih-fang, called the center a milestone.
“Only through the involvement of the education system will [we] be able to nurture [professional] talent. The establishment of the Center for Nurturing Talent for New Southbound Policy at the National Taipei University of Education is a historical milestone in our policy. That’s because since the government took office on May 20, it is the first school in Taiwan’s higher education to respond to the policy," said Huang.