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2009
Spring Taiwan Post-Fair Report
2009
Spring Taiwan Post-Fair Report
Report Contents:
Pre-Fair Orientation
Pre-Fair Publicity
US-Taiwan Forum on Educational Cooperation
Fair Venues & Attendance Statistics
AIEF’s Student Tracking System
Seminars for Students
Special Fair Attractions
UScampus Guide
2009 Summer and Fall Fairs
Pre-Fair Orientation
AIEF’s pre-fair orientation for 2009 Spring American Education Fair participants took place on the morning of March 28th at the National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) International Convention Center in Taipei. Guest speakers from the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) were Cultural Affairs Officer Ms. Judy Chow and Consular Officer Mr. John Hicks.
Ms. Judy Chow spoke about the role of the EducationUSA Centers in Taiwan to connect students and parents with U.S. educational institutions. As indicated by Ms. Chow, Taiwan has about 1.33 million students enrolled in institutions of higher education, with 600,000 in Taipei, 270,000 in Kaohsiung, and 145,000 in Taichung. In reference to using the Internet to reach students, she said that the highest usage of broadband in Taiwan is among the 12-25 age group. Other ways to reach students are through public corners in libraries and via Digital Visual Conferences (DVC), she said.
Mr. John Hicks revealed that visa applications of all kinds for travel to the USA are down 40 percent due to the economy. Nonetheless, he speculated that the current economic state of affairs might actually encourage more students to study in the United States, versus staying in Taiwan and facing the prospect of unemployment. Hicks offered several tips for student visa interviews, advising that students should have a clear plan of study, organize their supporting documents, be prepared to speak English if the I-20 indicates proficiency, and be honest.
According to data presented by AIEF’s Stephen Smith, Taiwan is the sixth-leading source of international students, comprising 4.6% of the total number of foreign students in the students in the United States. 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).
While providing an update on Taiwan’s higher education trends, Smith noted that Taiwan is earnestly promoting international educational cooperation. Taiwan is exporting an increasing number of Chinese language teachers and is marketing Chinese language education internationally, he said. To attract foreign students to study in Taiwan, the Ministry of Education is allowing more flexible programs. For instance, Taiwan’s universities are offering more programs in English, said Smith. In addition, Taiwan is encouraging study abroad by offering scholarships for academic excellence, profession-related internship programs, and economically disadvantaged students.
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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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US-Taiwan Forum on Educational Cooperation
AIEF’s annual US-Taiwan Forum on Educational Cooperation was held at the NTUH International Convention Center on Sunday, March 29th. Moderated by Stephen Smith, from AIEF’s Washington, DC office, the Forum was organized to facilitate open communication between American Education Fair participants and representatives from local universities. For more information about the Forum, please
click here.
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Fair Venues & Attendance Statistics
AIEF’s 2009 Spring American Education Fair in Taiwan was held for the first time at the NTUH International Convention Center in Taipei on March 28-29. The Fair then moved on to Kaohsiung at the Grand Hi Lai Hotel on March 30, followed by Taichung at the Evergreen Laurel Hotel on March 31. Based on data collected by AIEF at the Fair, an estimated total of 4,311 visitors attended the events in all three cities.
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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,” “Summer Study and Leadership Programs,” “Taking IELTS to Study in the U.S.,” “American Undergraduate Liberal Arts Education - Flexibility and Opportunity,” and “Why Western Illinois is the Best in the Midwest.” At the Taipei and Taichung Fair venues, AIT-Taipei Consular officer Mr. John Hicks offered presentations on the student visa application process, while Ms. Judy Chang of AIT-Kaohsiung conducted the student visa session in Kaohsiung.
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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.
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UScampus Guide
Free copies of the new 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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2009
Summer & Fall Fairs in Asia
Registration is now open for AIEF’s 2009 Summer and Fall American Education Fairs in Asia. The Fair schedule is as follows:
Summer Fairs:
June 13-15: Beijing
June 20-21: Shanghai
Fall Fairs:
September 24: Busan
September 26-27: Seoul
October 1: Singapore
October 3-4: Taipei
October 5: Kaohsiung
October 6: Taichung
Online registration for AIEF’s 2009
Summer and Fall Fairs is currently 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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