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2009
Fall Taiwan Post-Fair Report
Report Contents:
Pre-Fair Orientation
Pre-Fair Publicity
Fair Venues & Attendance Statistics
AIEF’s Student Tracking System
Seminars for Students
Special Fair Attractions
UScampus Guide
2010 Spring Fairs
Pre-Fair Orientation
On the morning of
Saturday, October 3rd, AIEF’s pre-fair orientation for the 2009
Fall American Education Fair participants was held at the
National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) International
Convention Center in Taipei. Mr. Karl K. H. Lee, Cultural
Attaché from the Ministry of Education's Bureau of International
Cultural and Educational Relations was invited to speak at the
event. Guest speakers from the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT)
were American Cultural Center Director, Mr. Scott Robinson,
Cultural Affairs Officer, Ms. Judy Chow, and Visa Section
Officer, Ms. Julie Kavanagh.
Mr. Karl K. H. Lee gave a detailed presentation on the
scholarship opportunities from the MOE for Taiwan’s students to
study abroad. This year, the scholarship opportunities have been
expanded greatly to cover not only degree programs, but also
vocational training as well as short term visits abroad. The
MOE’s target is to send over 10,000 students to study abroad in
2010. In addition, the MOE has approached AIEF about
establishing a closer partnership in order to make MOE
scholarships available to U.S. schools and students. Mr. Lee
also indicated that there have been large increases in the
number of students from Taiwan who are studying in Australia and
England. However, up to this time, the U.S. is still the first
study abroad choice for Taiwan’s students, he said. MOE data
shows that 19,402 visas were granted in 2008 to study in USA, a
more than 30 percent increase over the previous year.
Mr. Scott Robinson and Ms. Judy Chow conducted a presentation on
AIT's efforts to promote U.S. education in Taiwan, including the
use of the Internet and E-news, as well as working with AIEF and
Fulbright on Webinars and seminars on school campuses. Ms. Julie
Kavanagh reported that the student visa approval rate in Taiwan
is better than 95%. The total number of visas issued in the past
12 months has exceeded 14,000 for F-1 students, she said.
Ms. Pearl Wu, AIEF-Taipei Counselor, provided an overview of
education trends in Taiwan. She reported that Taiwan's colleges
and universities are suffering low enrollment and high vacancy
rates in Fall 2009. In fact, a total of 18 college and
university departments in Taiwan failed to recruit any students
for the fall semester, she said. She also mentioned that in
Taiwan there continues to be an emphasis on teacher training as
well as on promoting life-long learning.
Ms. Wu noted that Taiwan is the sixth-leading source of
international students in the United States, comprising 4.6% of
the total number of foreign students. In 2008, there were 29,001
students from Taiwan studying in the United States. Based on
IIE’s 2008 “Open Doors” report, the majority of students from
Taiwan (55.4 percent) study at the graduate level, followed by
undergraduates (26 percent), language and other students (7.7
percent), and Optional Practical Training participants (11
percent).
Prior to Ms. Wu’s presentation, Ms. Delai Lee, Deputy Director
of the Taipei Center, explained the historical background of the
Moon Festival and offered Moon cake and coffee to all school
attendants. 
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Pre-Fair Publicity
Pre-Fair publicity and
promotional activities included extensive local newspaper and
radio coverage, web announcements, e-newsletters, and posters &
flyers. Representatives from selected U.S. educational
institutions were interviewed on ICRT, the local
English-language radio station in Taipei. AIEF offered free
seminars at local public libraries and other sites in Taiwan to
introduce the upcoming Fair events.
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Fair Venues & Attendance Statistics
From October 3-4, AIEF’s
2009 Fall American Education Fair in Taiwan was held at the NTUH
International Convention Center in Taipei. While the Taipei fair
was well-attended on the first day, concerns about a typhoon
resulted in a smaller attendance than usual on Sunday. The Fair
then traveled to Kaohsiung’s Grand Hi Lai Hotel on October 5,
and concluded in Taichung at the Evergreen Laurel Hotel on
October 6. Both the Kaohsiung and Taichung Fairs received many
high school student groups led by their teachers, and saw
considerable growth in the number of student volunteers as well.
An estimated 2,411 visitors attended the events in all three
cities. Following authentication by AIEF, the data collected on
1,936 students who registered at the Fairs was verified.
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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. Following our verification of
student data, participating U.S. schools received a list of the
student contacts that visited their individual school’s booth
during the Fair.
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Seminars
for Students
A series of free seminars
for students were offered at the AIEF Fair venues. Seminar
topics included “Travel, Work, and Internships in the USA,”
“Taking IELTS to Study in the U.S.,” “Intensive ESL and 350
Academic Programs at the Largest University in the USA,”
“College Admissions and SAT,” and “Online Graduate Degree - A
Convenient Option in Today's Economy.” At the Taipei Fair venue,
AIT-Taipei Consular officers Nina Robinson and Ellison Laskowski
offered presentations on the student visa application process.
On behalf of AIT, Mr. Mason Yu conducted the student visa
session in Kaohsiung and Mr. Carlton Benson conducted the
session in Taichung. 
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Special Fair Attractions
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Fair visitors enjoyed
AIEF’s free counseling services at each Fair venue.
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AIEF scholarship
information was available at all fair venues.
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AIT representatives were
on hand at the EducationUSA booth in the Taipei and
Kaohsiung venues to disseminate information as well as to
answer questions from students and parents.
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Free wireless Internet
connectivity was provided to Fair exhibitors at the NTUH
International Convention Center venue.
AIT representatives in
Kaohsiung venues to answer questions from students and parents.
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UScampus Guide
Free copies of the 2009
Fall edition of UScampus Guide were issued to all Fair visitors.
Created by AIEF, this semiannually published magazine offers
accurate and up-to-date information to international students
interested in studying in the United States. Complimentary
copies of the magazine are distributed at all of AIEF’s American
Education Fairs in Asia, as well as at EducationUSA Centers,
public libraries, and other sites in the region. If you are
interested in submitting an article or placing an advertisement
in the UScampus Guide, please e-mail info@aief-usa.org.
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2010
Spring Fairs
Registration is now open
for AIEF’s 2010 Spring American Education Fairs in Asia. The
Fair schedule is as follows:
Fall Fairs:
Taipei - March 20-21
Kaohsiung - March 22
Taichung - March 23
Seoul - March 27-28
Busan - March 30
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.
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