Representatives from Taiwan met with European educators for a forum June 16-18 in Lille, France, and Brussels, Belgium, highlighting government commitment to expanding academic and research collaboration with EU members.
Taiwan’s delegation to the 2025 France-Taiwan Higher Education Leaders Forum was led by Director-General Lee Yu-jiuan of the Ministry of Education’s Department of International and Cross-strait Education and comprised representatives from 17 domestic universities. Delegates from 28 French institutions also took part in the event, which was organized by the MOE in cooperation with France Universités, an organization of university presidents in France, and other institutions.
According to the MOE, the forum’s theme was “Cultivating the Talents of Tomorrow,” with discussions focusing on academic-industry cooperation, mentoring and internship mechanisms, cultural integration, and international students’ welfare. Hao Pei-chih, head of the Taipei Representative Office in France, delivered remarks, and President W. John Kao of Hsinchu City-based National Tsing Hua University participated in a roundtable session during the event, the ministry said.
One highlight from the forum was a meeting held by France Universités June 18 at its Brussels office. Representatives from 13 French universities and the French National Center for Scientific Research were in attendance to participate in dialogues on higher education and research policy among Taiwan, France and Europe.
Taiwan delegation members continued their trip the next day by taking part in the 2025 Taiwan-Belgium Roundtable on Higher Education and Research, the MOE said, adding that it attracted officials and representatives from close to a dozen Belgian institutions for higher learning.
Attendees shared relevant measures from their own countries and explored bilateral cooperation opportunities, the ministry noted, adding that group members also visited institutions including KU Leuven and the Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre. (YCH-E)