The 2026 Annual Conference of the Chinese Language Teachers Association, USA (CLTA) was successfully held from May 1 to 3 at the University of Rhode Island. This year marked the first time the Foundation for International Cooperation in Higher Education of Taiwan (FICHET) assigned representatives to participate as exhibitors, promoting the Taiwan Mandarin Education Resources Center website and a series of digital teaching materials to the Chinese language education community across the United States. With its technology-enhanced and diverse teaching resources, Taiwan successfully drew strong interest from both American and Chinese heritage language teachers.

Digital Teaching Materials Aligned with AI Trends, Showcasing Taiwan’s R&D Strength

This year’s CLTA Annual Conference centered on the themes of AI integration and interdisciplinary development. In response to these trends, FICHET showcased a range of high-quality digital resources developed in Taiwan in recent years, including the innovative teaching materials AI Mandarin Companion, Mandarin for Semiconductors, and SDGs Mandarin Learning, which incorporates the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Participating teachers responded very positively to Taiwan’s teaching materials, generally noting that the content was not only lively and diverse, but also highly practical for classroom use. Several Mandarin teachers expressed admiration for the Ministry of Education’s strong support for Mandarin education, particularly in integrating contemporary topics such as semiconductors and sustainable development into language teaching. These efforts demonstrate the international competitiveness of Taiwan’s Mandarin education and its ability to keep pace with global trends.

Strengthening Local Connections and Promoting the Huayu Enrichment Scholarship

In addition to showcasing teaching materials, another important objective of FICHET’s participation was to promote the Huayu Enrichment Scholarship and related study opportunities in Taiwan. Through close collaboration with Ms. Wei-Yu Huang, Director of the Education Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston, FICHET engaged in in-depth exchanges with local K-12 and higher education teachers, encouraging American Chinese language teachers to lead students to Taiwan for short-term study programs and experience Taiwan’s rich cultural heritage firsthand.

During the interactions, many American students who had previously studied in Taiwan shared that they were deeply impressed by the density and wide range of services offered by Taiwan’s convenience stores. They also noted that while learning traditional Chinese characters can be more challenging, the unique evolution of the characters adds to the enjoyment of learning. The Taiwan-themed souvenirs prepared by FICHET, including embroidered keychains featuring “Taipei 101,” “Tainan Confucius Temple,” and “baseball,” also became popular conversation pieces at the event, helping to bring Taiwan closer to learners.

Listening to Frontline Feedback and Advancing the Localization of Teaching Materials

Through its on-site participation, FICHET gained valuable first-hand feedback from educators. Some teachers suggested that Taiwan’s teaching materials could be further adapted for younger K-12 learners, and that simplified Chinese reference versions could be considered to facilitate broader promotion. In addition, some American scholars expressed strong interest in collaborating with the Taiwan Mandarin Education Resources Center to jointly develop cultural teaching materials.

Future Outlook

Looking ahead, FICHET will continue to serve as a bridge connecting Taiwan’s higher education sector with the international community. The teaching needs and frontline feedback collected during this year’s conference will serve as important references for future resource development. Through innovative digital tools and the support of international scholarship programs, FICHET will continue to deepen Taiwan-U.S. educational diplomacy and help position Taiwan as a top destination for Mandarin learning worldwide.