KUALA LUMPUR: The Taiwan government, through its Education Ministry and Foreign Affairs Ministry, is offering 100 scholarships to Malaysians who wish to continue their tertiary education in Taiwan.
National Chi Nan University vice-president Prof Yang Chou-Sung said those interested can visit the 2023 Malaysia-Taiwan Higher Education Exhibition, which is being held until tomorrow in various locations in East and West Malaysia.
The exhibition, organised by the Federation of Alumni Associations of Taiwan Universities, Malaysia (Faatum), is being held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
Yang said the exhibition will introduce Malaysian students to study opportunities and higher education courses in Taiwan.
“Aside from the exhibiton, the University Entrance Committee for Overseas Chinese Students will promote it on its website,” he said.
“There will be representatives from 20 public universities and colleges, 21 private universities and colleges and 16 private science and technology universities, as well as technical colleges.”
He said Taiwan’s higher education courses are open to Chinese students and those of other races.
“However, non-Chinese students should be able to speak and read Mandarin or at least have a basic understanding of the language.
“We also provide Chinese language classes for non-Chinese foreign students. By the end of their higher education course, the students would be able to speak Mandarin fluently,” he told theSun.
Yang said students with a Malaysian identification card and have a certificate to show that they have completed their secondary education, will be able to apply.
“The screening process is entirely up to the university of a student’s choice. The applicants will be assessed by the university based on their scores and recruiting quota,” he said.
National Chi Nan University president Prof Wuu Dong-Sing said the Taiwanese government would hire foreign students as part of their workforce. However, it also depends on the courses the students studied.
“We need more manpower in the semiconductor and communications industries, and we welcome foreign students to join our workforce upon graduation as most of them are fluent in English.”
Wuu said the cost of living in Taiwan is affordable compared with Malaysia. The country is also safe and peaceful which would ensure a smooth journey for students pursuing higher education.
Dennis Chen, who manages the Taiwan Gold Card (TGC), said the employment scheme would help foreigners easily integrate into Taiwan’s society.
“We are introducing TGC to students who wish to study in Taiwan as it is an opportunity for them to work there.”
Chen said TGC is a four-in-one card that includes a work permit, resident visa, alien resident certificate and re-entry permit.
“TGC is valid for one to three years and allows cardholders to work and reside in Taiwan,” he said.
To apply for TGC, applicants must be an employee at listed industries such as economy, science and technology, architecture, sport, national defence, education, culture and arts, finance or law.
“Those who do not pursue any of these disciplines would be considered special cases, which will be reviewed by the National Development Council.
“From my experience, most applicants that apply for TGC are from the economic industries as Taiwan’s growth has been improving throughout the years.
“If the applicant has graduated from the top five hundred universities in the world, they are also eligible to apply for TGC.”
Chen said the application fee for TGC can range between NTD$800 and NTD$8,460, which is equivalent to RM115.84 to RM1,224.98, depending on the validity of the card and the applicant’s background. Visit https://cmn-hant.overseas.ncnu.edu.tw/en/committee-school-area/malaysiaeducation/ for more information.
