03/27/2017．Taiwan Held the first Taiwan-France Presidents Forum to Discuss Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Integration of Higher Education and Workplace Practice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

          




　
　

　

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Taiwan held the first Taiwan-France Presidents Forum to discuss innovation and entrepreneurship and the integration of
higher education and workplace practice.(Photo：French Department)     







 


March 27, 2017









【News release: Public Relations Office】
     The first Taiwan-France Presidents Forum was held in Taiwan at the International Conference Hall of the China Steel Corporation Headquarters in Kaohsiung on March 21, 2017. In the forum, the themes of “innovation and entrepreneurship” and “integration of higher education and workplace practice” were discussed in the hope of facilitating Taiwan–France higher education exchange and collaboration. More than one hundred representatives from over 70 higher educational institutions in Taiwan and France attended this forum. Among the attendants were Professor Leehter Yao (Political Deputy Minister, Ministry of Education), Dr. Min-Ling Yang (Director General, Department of International and Cross-Strait Education, Ministry of Education), Professor Huey-Jen Su (Chairperson, Foundation for International Cooperation in Higher Education of Taiwan / President, National Cheng Kung University), Professor Bertrand Monthubert (Chairperson of Campus France), and Mr. Benoît Guidee (Director, French Office in Taipei).
     Of all the European foreign students in Taiwan, the number of French students has remained the highest in terms of degree students, exchange students, short-term students, and Chinese-learning students. This shows that Taiwan should seek to deepen its ties with France. To help Taiwan and France know their interested fields of collaboration as well as colleges and universities, the Foundation for International Cooperation in Higher Education of Taiwan launched the first Taiwan-France Presidents Forum this year, and commissioned Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages to organize the event.
     Political Deputy Minister Leehter Yao commented on Taiwan–France higher education relations, and pointed out that a total of 55 universities in Taiwan have signed more than 300 agreements on exchange and research projects with 185 universities in France since 1985. Currently, a total of 1,634 French students are studying in Taiwan, and 1,028 Taiwanese students are studying in France. 
     Chairperson of Campus France Bertrand Monthubert said that this was his first visit to Taiwan, and he was impressed by the passion and vitality of Taiwanese people. He also mentioned, while some 6,000 Taiwanese students go to Australia for exchange studies, only about 1,000 exchange students choose to go to France. Nevertheless, he was optimistic about the future of Taiwan–France exchange. 
     The theme of the first session was “innovation and entrepreneurship.” In this session, Professor Edward Chow, President of the National Chengchi University, presented on the topic of “New and Innovative Program Models to Activate Innovation and Entrepreneurship”; Professor Pierre-Paul Zalio, President of the École Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay, spoke on the topic of “Innovation and entrepreneurship: Paris Saclay University.” The theme of the second session was “integration of higher education and workplace practice.” In this session, Shieu-ming Chou, D.S.N., President of Wenzao, talked on the topic of “Meeting Challenges of Professional Practical Change in Foreign Language Education”; Professor Mohamed Benlahsen, President of the University of Picardie (Amiens), presented on the topic of “Integration of Higher Education and Workplace Practice: Amiens.” The two presenters shared with the audience their practical experiences in Wenzao and the University of Picardie. 
     Wenzao President Shieu-ming Chou stated that Wenzao was established 50 years ago and was acclaimed widely for its performance and practice of professional language education. Wenzao has aimed to incubate “international professionals of dual foreign languages and interdisciplinary expertise.” Therefore, “dual foreign languages + expertise” is the feature of education at the university. To implement interdisciplinary practical education (including licenses, internships, and employment), Wenzao students are required to achieve the goal of “2 + 2 + 1” (namely a diploma and a certificate of a degree program, two certificates of foreign language tests, and one professional license) before graduation. 
     According to Chou, Wenzao is currently a sister school to 236 higher educational institutions around the world. The university also encourages its students to apply for exchange programs and internships abroad to develop interactional proactivity. Currently, Wenzao is a sister school to 11 universities in France, and 28 Wenzao students attend exchange programs in France every year. The French Department of Wenzao also sends 5 students to universities in France as Chinese teaching assistants every year.
     Before the forum on March 21st, the guests from France found time to visit Wenzao. The guests included Judikaël Regnaut, Deputy Director of International Relations in the Ministry of Higher Education and Research; Bertrand Monthubert, Chairperson of Campus France; Jan Borm, President of International Affairs in the Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines University; Cyril Villaverde, Director of International Relations in the University of Rouen; Jérôme Gensel, Vice President of International Affairs in the Community Grenoble Alpes University; Mathilde Mallet, Coordinator for Asia in Campus France. 
     The Asia Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE) – Conference and Exhibition took place from March 20th to 23rd at the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center. It is one of the three major international activities for higher education exchange. This year marks the first time that the event was held in Kaohsiung. In the evening on March 23rd, Wenzao held the activity Wenzao Night, where President Chou led the administrative team to welcome more than 50 representatives of Wenzao’s sister schools from 17 countries in Europe, Americas, and Asia. 
 






Photo／Olivia Hsieh












Director Benoît Guidee of the French Office in Taipei (left) and Political Deputy Minister Leehter Yao of the Ministry of Education (middle) cut the cake together
to commemorate the first year of Taiwan–France cooperation in
the higher education forum. 


The first Taiwan-France Presidents Forum was held in the China Steel
Corporation Headquarters.(Photo: French Department)










Political Deputy Minister Leehter Yao of the Ministry of Education
gave opening remarks. 


Chairperson Huey-Jen Su of the Foundation for International Cooperation in Higher Education of Taiwan gave an address.












Chairperson of Campus France Bertrand Monthuber gave opening remarks. 


Director Benoît Guidee of the French Office in Taipei gave an address.








President Shieu-ming Chou of Wenzao gave opening remarks and was invited to
talk on “Meeting Challenges of Professional Practical Change in
Foreign Language Education.”


Panel discussion of Session 1:
 Innovation and Entrepreneurship








Chairperson Huey-Jen Su of the Foundation for International Cooperation in Higher Education of Taiwan (right) presented a gift to President Chou (left) to appreciate Wenzao for organizing the Taiwan-France Presidents Forum 2017. (Photo: French Department) 

Chairperson Huey-Jen Su of the Foundation for International Cooperation in Higher Education of Taiwan (right) presented a gift to Chairperson of Campus France Bertrand Monthuber (left).(Photo: French Department)







  The guests from France visited Wenzao before the forum, and were enthusiastically received by President Shieu-ming Chou (middle in the front row), Vice President for Academic Affairs Jian-Shiung Shie (fifth from the left in the back row), Vice President for International Affairs Samuel C. Y. Ku, and the administrative team.

 Discussion and exchange between the French guests who were to attend the Taiwan-France Presidents Forum and the administrative team of Wenzao.