Taiwan’s Ministry of Education and the Department of Education of the Australian State of Queensland signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on 7 July, 2022, to promote bilateral exchanges. The two parties first signed an MOU in 2013, and since then they have established a range of educational collaborations. The signing of this MOU maintains their strong education exchanges-based relationship.
The MOU was signed by Dr Yen-Yi Lee, Director General of the Department of International and Cross-strait Education of Taiwan’s Ministry of Education and by Mr. Michael De’Ath, Director-General of the Queensland Department of Education in an online signing ceremony.
The signing ceremony was conducted by Mr. Stephen Biggs, Executive Director, Department of Education International in Queensland’s Department of Education, and attended by Mr, Edward Tao, Director-General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Brisbane and Ms. Jill Lai, Executive Director of the Education Division of TECO in Australia.
After the welcoming remarks by Mr. Biggs, Mr. De’Ath gave a brief speech in which he mentioned that key objectives of this MOU are to:
- Endeavour to maintain and enhance our bilateral cooperation and education matters;
- Further our understanding of each other’s education systems; and
- Promote our future understanding and realise common benefits through collaborative development.
In 2021 there were 122 primary and secondary state schools across Queensland teaching the Chinese language to 33,481 students. Cooperation under this MOU will build on these figures by providing further opportunities for Queensland students and educators to strengthen their language skills as well as understanding of multiculturism; It will also provide opportunities for graduate, early career Queensland teachers to travel to Taiwan to gain international experience of English teaching opportunities at Taiwan’s schools.
Dr. Lee concluded the ceremony extending a warm welcome to Queensland’s educators and Department of Education personnel to visit Taiwan.
