To deepen higher education cooperation between Taiwan and Austria, the 2025 Taiwan-Austria Higher Education Forum was held on April 29, 2025, in Vienna, Austria. This marked the first in-person bilateral forum jointly held by both sides since 2016, underscoring its profound significance. 



The forum brought together representatives from 20 universities and higher education institutions from both countries, engaging in keynote speeches, networking meetings, and academic visit to explore future opportunities in higher education development, research collaboration, and talent exchange.

The forum was jointly organized by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Women, Science and Research (BMBWF) and the Austrian Agency for Education and Internationalisation (OeAD), and co-organized by the Foundation for International Cooperation in Higher Education of Taiwan (FICHET) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Austria. A delegation from Taiwan, led by FICHET Chairperson Dr. Cheng-Chi Wu, was invited to Austria to attend the forum. Representative Suan-Yung Liu of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Austria, Dr. Jakob Calice, Director General of OeAD, and officials from the BMBWF joined the delegation at the opening ceremony. The participation of these distinguished representatives signified a strong, shared resolve to further deepen higher education ties between the two countries.



FICHET Chairperson Dr. Cheng-Chi Wu remarked that Austria has been one of Taiwan's longest-standing academic partners. Taiwanese and Austrian higher education institutions have signed over 80 academic cooperation agreements. Currently, there are over 350 Taiwanese students studying in Austria and about 150 Austrian students studying in Taiwan. In addition, the two sides continue to promote the Taiwan and Austria Higher Education Science and Research Seed Funding to facilitate academic exchange and mobility, underscoring Austria's importance as a key partner for Taiwan.

Representative Suan-Yung Liu emphasized that the enduring foundation of Taiwan-Austria exchanges has fostered strong cooperation across education, culture, and science. This forum injected new momentum into bilateral higher education collaboration, with hopes to further expand more long-term exchange programs and strengthen Taiwan's presence in the European higher education landscape.

Dr. Jakob Calice, Director General of OeAD, also highlighted that Taiwan is one of Austria's most important partners in Asia. Bilateral achievements in student and scholar mobility have been remarkable, and Austria is committed to encouraging more faculty and student participation in international exchange through programs such as Erasmus+ and other bilateral initiatives.

Representative from the BMBWF also shared that Austria greatly values its collaboration with Taiwan, especially in research cooperation and student mobility, where both sides see considerable potential after the pandemic. The forum represents a joint commitment to deepening bilateral academic exchange, and Austria looks forward to developing forward-looking and innovative higher education initiatives with Taiwan.

On the day of the forum, representatives from both Taiwan and Austria shared insights into their respective higher education systems and cooperation mechanisms, including Erasmus+, the Taiwan-Austria Seed Funding, and various Taiwan and Austria scholarship programs. This was followed by in-depth discussions led by experts and scholars from both sides, covering topics such as fruitful results of international collaboration, student mobility programs, STEM education and talent cultivation. In the afternoon, a Taiwan-Austria higher education networking session took place, where representatives from 20 institutions engaged in one-on-one meetings to establish potential collaborations and expand partnerships. The forum concluded successfully with enthusiastic participation and interaction from both delegations.

This forum not only highlighted the strong bilateral commitment to advancing education and research collaboration but also brought new opportunities for Taiwan's higher education internationalization. Through transnational talent and academic exchange, Taiwan's higher education sector continues to broaden its global impact and build deeper, more expansive international linkages.