【Implementing the 2030 Bilingual National Policy - The Ministry of Education launches a bilingual program to enhance students' English proficiency.】

The Ministry of Education is promoting the bilingual education policy based on the "2030 Bilingual Nation Policy Development Blueprint." The main strategies are "universal enhancement" and "key cultivation." Measures such as increasing teaching resources and creating bilingual learning environments aim to improve students' English communication abilities and create an internationalized environment for higher education, achieving the goal of widespread English learning.

In September 2021, the higher education institutions initiated the "The Program on Bilingual Education for Students in College" (BEST), with the vision of strengthening students' English proficiency and promoting full English-language instruction. Measures include gradually implementing full English teaching mode, developing a support system for teachers conducting classes in English, and introducing international teaching talents to enhance students' international competitiveness and achieve the goals of the "2030 Bilingual Nation" policy. The Bilingual Program collaborates with English teaching experts from the UK to assist schools in understanding best practices for full English-language instruction and conducting assessments to achieve bilingual education objectives.

The Ministry of Education has allocated a budget of over 2.5 billion NTD to help schools establish a full English-language teaching system and environment to enhance students' English abilities. The program aims to transform "Key Cultivation Schools" and "Key Cultivation Colleges" into benchmarks for bilingual education while encouraging "Universal Enhancement Schools" to improve overall English teaching and learning abilities.

By nurturing bilingual professionals, students can enhance their ability to communicate and collaborate with international professionals and participate in global mobility, thereby increasing Taiwan's competitiveness in higher education. The Ministry of Education has commissioned evaluation institutions to assist in implementing the program and hopes to facilitate schools in creating a high-quality bilingual learning environment through administrative operations and improved hardware and software facilities. This will promote students' enthusiasm for learning English and cultivate more bilingual talents in various professional fields.

【Excerpt from the issue No. 03, 2021 of TWAEA’s ePaper】