|
2008
Spring Taiwan Post-Fair Report
Report Contents:
Pre-Fair Orientation
AIEF’s pre-fair orientation for the U.S. education delegation was held on the morning of March 23rd at the Howard Plaza Hotel in Taipei. Mr. Stephen Smith, who conducted the orientation, stated that the Taipei fair was scheduled on a Sunday and Monday this spring owing to Taiwan’s presidential election held on Saturday, March 22nd. Customarily, AIEF’s Taipei Fair takes place over a two-day weekend. Smith explained that many of Taiwan’s students were involved in political campaign activities during the month of March, which prompted AIEF to hold the Fair after the election.
At the orientation, guest speakers from the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) included American Cultural Center Director, Mr. Nicholas Papp, Cultural Affairs Officer, Ms. Judy Chow, and Consular Officer, Mr. Ningchuan Zhu.
Commenting on the economic slowdown in Taiwan, Mr. Papp noted that studying in the United States makes students more competitive against local university graduates. He also spoke about efforts to increase EducationUSA marketing and promotion through the focused use of new media and new communication technologies. Papp played a major role in organizing an EducationUSA Technology Workshop that was held in Taipei in April 2007 on the topic of “Technology in Advising: Taking Advantage of Strengths and Making the Most of Weaknesses.”
Ms. Judy Chow gave a presentation detailing EducationUSA’s use of technology in Taiwan. Referring to the tech-savvy nature of Taiwan’s students, she highlighted the importance of understanding the Internet usage and habits of the target audience. She pointed out the trend toward greater access to EducationUSA Center resources through the Internet compared to in-person visits or phone calls. Electronic outreach efforts include BBS, AIEF’s E-Newsletters, EIS (Electronic Information Service), an EducationUSA blog, webchats, and podcasts. Ms. Chow mentioned that some students in off-site locations have made use of Skype to interact online with EducationUSA counselors.
Mr. Ningchuan Zhu revealed that in 2007 there were 29,094 students from Taiwan studying in the United States. Presenting an overview of the student visa application process in Taiwan, Zhu stressed the importance for students to answer all questions completely and honestly, as well as to demonstrate strong ties to Taiwan.
According to data presented by AIEF’s Stephen Smith, Taiwan is the fifth-leading source of international students in the United States. Based on IIE’s 2007 “Open Doors” report, the majority of students from Taiwan (57.3 percent) study at the graduate level, followed by undergraduates (25.2 percent), language and other students (10.3 percent), and Optional Practical Training participants (7.2 percent).
A major challenge to U.S. schools recruiting in Asia could be the European Union’s Asia Link program, Smith said. He noted that plans are underway to allocate 44 million euros from 2007 to 2013 for educational cooperation and exchange between EU and Asian countries. Objectives of the program include fostering mobility of students and academics between the two regions, and holding large education fairs in Asia funded by the EU Commission. Smith expressed his hope that the U.S. government will help U.S. schools to meet this challenge. He cited bipartisan Congressional support for the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act of 2007, endorsed by AIEF, as a step in the right direction.
Citing a recent College Board survey indicating that over 50% of U.S. students taking the SAT expect to study abroad at some point, Smith called attention to the fact that AIEF is working with educational institutions in the U.S. and Taiwan to promote educational cooperation and exchanges that will benefit students from both places. He said that AIEF is helping to facilitate opportunities for U.S. students to study abroad in Taiwan.
Back to Top
Pre-Fair Publicity
Pre-Fair publicity and promotional activities included extensive local newspaper, radio and television coverage. Representatives from selected U.S. educational institutions and IELTS were interviewed on ICRT, the local English-language radio station in Taipei, while other fair participants communicated with local students via web chat sessions conducted by the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT). In addition, AIEF offered free seminars at local public libraries and other sites in Taiwan to introduce the upcoming Fair events.
Back
to Top
U.S.-Taiwan Study Abroad and International Cooperation Workshop
AIEF’s second US-Taiwan Study Abroad and International Cooperation Workshop was held at the Howard Plaza Hotel on Monday, March 24th. Moderated by AIEF’s Stephen Smith, with assistance from AIEF-Taipei Director Ms. Delai Lee, the workshop was organized to facilitate open communication between American Education Fair participants and representatives from AIT, local universities, and local study abroad agencies. The key objectives of the event were to provide support to U.S. universities in recruiting Taiwan students and developing international educational exchange with Taiwan’s educational institutions; to provide support to Taiwanese universities’ expansion of their international educational exchanges with U.S. schools and students; to provide support to organizations and agencies to ensure that students receive accurate and up-to-date information about studying in the USA; and to explore ways and means for U.S. educational institutions and organizations to better support these efforts in the future. To view the full report of the US-Taiwan Study Abroad and International Cooperation Workshop, please go to:
http://www.aief-usa.org/services/fairs/fair_taiwan_2008spring.htm
Back
to Top
Fair Venues & Attendance Statistics
AIEF’s 2008 Spring American Education Fair in Taiwan was held in Taipei at the Howard Plaza Hotel on March 23-24, in Kaohsiung at the Grand Hi Lai Hotel on March 25, and in Taichung at the Evergreen Laurel Hotel on March 26. An estimated total of 3,188 visitors attended the events in all three cities and data from 1,621 students was collected.
 
Back
to Top
AIEF’s Student Tracking System
Online pre-fair registration was offered by AIEF to the exhibition’s visitors. Students who visited the American Education Fair were encouraged to register their educational goals and contact information in AIEF’s student tracking system. AIEF pioneered its online student tracking database in 2001, and has offered the database as a service exclusively to U.S. schools since 2002. AIEF’s emphasis on service, quality, and integrity explains why its current database, the largest of its kind in Taiwan, has accumulated a membership of more than 90,000 student names. Participating U.S. schools were sent a list of the student contacts that visited their individual school’s booth during the Fair.
Back
to Top
Seminars
for Students
A series of free seminars for students were offered at the AIEF fair venues. Seminar topics included “Internships in the USA,” “Required Tests for Studying in the USA,” “Important Things You Need to Know when Choosing an ESL School,” “Introduction to TOEFL iBT,” and “Adjusting to Life in the U.S.” At the Taipei and Taichung Fair venues, AIT-Taipei Consular officer Mr. Ningchuan Zhu offered sessions on the student visa application process.
Back
to Top
Special Fair Attractions
-
Fair visitors enjoyed AIEF’s free counseling services at the Fair.
-
AIEF scholarship information was available at all fair venues.
-
AIT representatives were on hand at the EducationUSA booth at all three fair venues to disseminate information as well as to answer questions from students and parents.
Back
to Top
Student Scholarships
AIEF is continuing its undergraduate scholarship program to benefit and encourage more undergraduate students from Taiwan to study at U.S. educational institutions. AIEF is pleased to announce that it will award scholarships in the amount of NT$3,000 to each of the first 50 undergraduate students from Taiwan who provide substantiated proof of their enrollment at a U.S. college or university in the fall of 2008. A special grant to reimburse application fees will also be awarded to the undergraduate students from among this group who offer confirmation of attending one of the U.S. colleges or universities participating in AIEF’s American Education Fair in Taiwan. To qualify for this funding, students must register for AIEF’s Undergraduate Scholarship Program at the Fair.
The scholarship application process for AIEF’s Graduate School Scholarship Program will remain the same as in previous years. Graduate school scholarship applicants will first be screened by AIEF, and the final recipients will later be selected by a scholarship committee comprised of members representing academic, government, and business sectors. AIEF’s Graduate School Scholarships will be awarded to the selected applicants at a ceremony in June 2008.
Schools participating in our fairs are encouraged to submit scholarship and/or internship information to AIEF in advance for dissemination at future fairs. This service is free to all participating schools.
Back
to Top
2008 Fall Fairs
Registration will soon be open for AIEF’s 2008 Fall American Education Fairs in Asia. The Fair schedule is as follows:
Fall Fairs
Singapore - October 2
Seoul - October 4-5
Busan - October 7
Taipei - October 11-12
Kaohsiung - October 13
Taichung - October 14
Shanghai - October 18-19
Online registration is available at:
http://www.aief-usa.org/services/signup_fair.htm. For more information, please visit our Website or call the AIEF’s California office at 714-985-1995.
Back to Top
Related Materials to Review
|
