The 2026 Taiwan-U.S. International Education Administrators (IEA) Roundtable Networking, co-organized by the Foundation for International Cooperation in Higher Education of Taiwan (FICHET) and Fulbright Taiwan, was held on March 20 at Taipei New Horizon. The event brought together nearly 70 higher education representatives from 43 Taiwanese universities and 16 U.S. institutions. Participants discussed the latest developments and strategies in Taiwan-U.S. educational cooperation, aiming to deepen higher education partnerships and unlock future collaborative opportunities.

Kuo-Wei Liu, Political Deputy Minister of Education, attended the event as the opening and keynote speaker. He noted that Taiwan - U.S. higher education exchanges have continued to grow steadily, with universities on both sides having signed more than 2,000 memoranda of understanding to date, spanning a wide range of academic disciplines. Currently, approximately 23,000 Taiwanese students are pursuing studies in the United States, while more than 4,000 American students are studying in Taiwan. Notably, over 70 percent of these American students are enrolled in Mandarin language programs, underscoring the international appeal of Taiwan’s Mandarin education. Looking ahead, Liu emphasized that, in addition to further strengthening cooperation in Mandarin and English language education, Taiwan and the United States will continue to expand collaboration into key sectors such as semiconductors, AI, and sustainable development, jointly cultivating the next generation of global talent.

Tsai-Yen Li, Chairperson of FICHET, shared that during the fifth High-Level Dialogue under the U.S.–Taiwan Education Initiative held this past January, a consensus was reached on a three-year strategic plan. This established concrete mechanisms to link Taiwanese institutions with U.S. organizations and expand language exchange programs. Chairperson Li stated that these efforts strengthen institutional ties and promote faculty exchange, emphasizing that this networking event embodies that spirit by fostering meaningful connections through warm, face-to-face dialogue and showcasing the welcoming nature of Taiwan’s higher education sector.

Randall Nadeau, Executive Director of Fulbright Taiwan, highlighted the International Education Administrators (IEA) Program, which brings U.S. higher education officials to Taiwan for two-week exchange. In addition to the networking, the program arranges visits to various Taiwanese universities to promote substantive understanding in teaching and research while offering cultural experiences. Executive Director Nadeau remarked that such exchanges not only build professional links but also deepen mutual trust, paving the way for more diverse future collaborations.

During the session, Deputy Minister Liu outlined key strategic goals for the next three years of Taiwan and US cooperation:

• Developing competitive, two-way talent cultivation pipelines
• Strengthening Mandarin language education and cross-cultural competence
• Enhancing English proficiency and supporting Taiwan’s bilingual education
• Establishing institutionalized and sustainable cooperation mechanisms

U.S. representatives, including Cindy Schaarschmidt, Executive Director of International Education at Pierce College District, and Pingchien Neo, Director of International Engineering Programs at the University of Florida, also shared insights on current trends in U.S. higher education. To promote Mandarin learning, Chen-Cheng Chun, Chairperson of the Association of Teaching Chinese as a Second Language, highlighted Taiwan’s advantages as a global hub for Mandarin learning.

The event concluded with networking sessions, allowing Taiwanese representatives to interact directly with international education administrators from 16 U.S. institutions, including Penn State University, Rice University, Emory University, and Vanderbilt University. The discussions provided a platform to share international cooperation experiences and explore future academic initiatives, creating a new milestone for Taiwan-U.S. higher education partnerships.