To enhance Taiwan-France higher education exchanges, the "2024 Taiwan-France Higher Education Leaders Forum," under the guidance of the Ministry of Education, is a collaborative effort involving the Foundation for International Cooperation in Higher Education of Taiwan (FICHET), the French Office in Taiwan, and Campus France. Hosted by National Taiwan Normal University, the forum took place on March 11th and 12th, attracting over 60 representatives from more than 30 Taiwanese institutions and over 20 representatives from 7 French institutions. The event aimed to deepen bilateral academic and research cooperation.


Mon-Chi Lio, Political Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Education, indicated that according to MOE statistics, approximately 1,740 French students are currently pursuing their studies in Taiwan, while there are over 350 Taiwanese students enrolled in educational institutions in France. Moreover, 875 educational MOUs have been signed between universities in Taiwan and in France. This significant milestone underscores the strong commitment and fruitful partnership among academic institutions of both countries.

Key French representatives from France included Béatrice Khaiat, Deputy Director General of Campus France, Dean Lewis, Vice President of France Universités, and Franck Paris, Director of the French Office in Taipei. The French Office in Taipei indicated the significance of Taiwan as a crucial international education partner, and Ambassador Chih-Chung Wu, from the Taiwan's Representative Office in France conveyed gratitude through a video message, acknowledging the collaborative opportunities between the two countries.

Chairperson Cheng-Chi Wu of FICHET highlighted the ongoing collaboration since the visit of the French delegation to Taiwan in 2016. Despite disruptions caused by the pandemic, both sides actively promoted cooperation through two online Taiwan-France roundtable meetings in 2021 and 2022, maintaining a strong collaborative partnership. 

On the first day of the forum, Deputy Director Kao-Hsien Liao of the Ministry of Education's Department of International and Cross-strait Education, along with Béatrice Khaiat, delivered presentations on "Internationalization of Higher Education: Crossing Taiwan and France Perspectives," providing an overview of recent bilateral academic and research collaborations. President Wen-Chang Chen and Vice President Chung-Chih Wu for Research and Development of National Taiwan University spoke on "Building Industry-Academia Partnerships in Technology Development: The Taiwanese Way," focusing on Taiwan's perspective on industry-academia cooperation and the practical application of innovation related initiatives. 

In the afternoon, President W. John Kao of National Tsing Hua University and Dean Lewis discussed the "Priorities of Scientific Cooperation and Talent Development between Taiwan and France." They highlighted successful cases and development in semiconductor and quantum technology, artificial intelligence, and green energy. The panel session, moderated by Vice President Yung-Hsiang Ying of National Taiwan Normal University, featured representatives from four French and Taiwanese universities discussing "The European Engagement of French Universities: An Opportunity for Taiwanese Partners," introducing specific examples of EU programs such as Erasmus Mundus and the European University Alliance, facilitating exchanges and study opportunities for Taiwanese universities and outstanding talents.

The second day of the forum focused on the "French and Mandarin as Global Languages: The Key Role of Universities". Discussions were led by Director Yi-De Liu, Vice President for International Affairs of National Taiwan Normal University, President Jean-François Huchet of the l’INALCO, Vice President Nil Toulouse of the University of Lille, and Director Jean-Yves Heurtebise of the French Department at Fu Jen Catholic University. The panel explored innovative teaching and practices as well as institutional strategies in Mandarin and French learning.