Last year, ninety-five percent of participants in the Overseas Community Affairs Council’s (OCAC) “Study Activities for Young Compatriots Abroad” expressed increased interest in reading in Taiwan, he said.
After postponing its operations for 3 years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the council resumed operations last year.
Last year, it held six sessions of its Taiwan Experience Program for Young Compatriots Abroad and its Study Trip to Taiwan for Young Compatriots Abroad, as well as seven sessions of its language examination program for young compatriots.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
There were 1,642 registered members from countries under the new southward policy, a 6. 7% increase from the 1,538 members in 2019, totaling 929 from Indonesia, 288 from the Philippines and 126 from Thailand, according to OCAC data.
To train and employ more overseas compatriots, the council said it would design its youth study activity programs to meet the demands of young people from different countries each year, encouraging them to spend two to four weeks in Taiwan to get to know the educational environment and culture, improve their Mandarin language ability, communicate with young Taiwanese, and prepare for further education in Taiwan.
As the Overseas Compatriot Youth Taiwan Experience Program is aimed at introducing Taiwan’s vocational education environment to young overseas compatriots, the council arranges for them to visit high schools and university campuses with industry-academia cooperative education programs and allow them to experience the vocational courses.
Ninety-five percent of participants say the program increases their interest in reading in Taiwan, while 88 percent say they are satisfied with the program, according to a council survey.
The Study of Taiwan Tour for Youth Abroad aims to help participants get to know Taiwan through ecological explorations and cultural tours, while the language studies program uses skill-based learning in small categories for their language skills. listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Mandarin.
Fifty-six of the participants in the language program improved their Mandarin proficiency by at least one level, the council said.
Since 2017, the Transition Program for Young Taiwanese and Overseas Expatriates has sent 606 young Taiwanese to locations around the world to be informed about overseas network affairs and publicize Taiwan, according to the statement.
This year, the program will be implemented in Bangkok and Brisbane, Australia, as well as Seattle, Los Angeles and Orange County in California, he added, adding that 12 youth ambassadors will be chosen for a week-long stopover to one of the five sites, for a total of 60 ambassadors.
The council would offer an ongoing subsidy to cover visa application fees and airfare, while he and compatriots would cover expenses such as airport transfers, meals, transportation and accommodation, he said.
Individuals between the ages of 18 and 35 who are reading at a college, university, or graduate school in Taiwan and who are citizens of the Republic of China can apply for the program until February 29 on the council’s page (https://gov. tw/5V3).