Taiwan’s Ming Chuan University has become the first university in Asia to be accredited by the U.S.-based Middle States Commission on Higher Education, according to MCU Dec. 2.
“This is an acknowledgment of Taiwan’s quality higher education,” MCU President Lee Chuan said at a news conference in Taipei.
With the endorsement, the academic degrees and credits students obtain at MCU will be recognized by over 500 universities in the U.S. “This will make it easier for MCU graduates to further their studies or careers in the U.S.,” Lee added.
The MSCHE endorsement also means that students from the U.S. studying at MCU can apply for U.S. federal scholarships and student loans, he said.
In countries where Taiwan-issued degrees are not recognized, such as Malaysia, MCU graduates now have access to better jobs since their diplomas are endorsed by MSCHE, Lee said.
The voluntary, nongovernmental MSCHE is one of six regional accrediting organizations recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Its member institutions include Columbia University, Cornell University and New York University. (HZW)