TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Foundation for International Cooperation in Higher Education of Taiwan (高等教育國際合作基金會), a key organization promoting Taiwan's academic partnerships abroad, announced on Wednesday (June 18) that the 2025 France-Taiwan Higher Education Leaders Forum has concluded successfully in Lille, a major cultural and educational hub in northern France. The high-profile gathering brought together delegates from 45 academic institutions across both countries, creating a platform to strengthen bilateral educational ties and explore new avenues for collaboration between the democratic island and the European nation.
The two-day forum served as an intellectual exchange hub where participants engaged in substantive discussions on pressing educational challenges, including strengthening industry-academia partnerships, developing robust internship programs, implementing effective mentorship frameworks, fostering cultural integration, and enhancing support systems for international students.
Taiwan's delegation, consisting of 27 representatives from 17 prominent Taiwanese universities, was led by Chairman Wu Cheng-chih (吳正己) and Director-General Lee Yu-chuan (李毓娟) of the Ministry of Education's (MOE, 教育部) Department of International and Cross-strait Education (國際及兩岸教育司), the government division overseeing Taiwan's global educational initiatives. During the sessions held on June 16 and 17, both leaders emphasized the enduring educational partnership that has flourished between Taiwan and France over decades.
Expanding the forum's reach beyond France, the French University Association (法國大學協會), a consortium representing higher education institutions across the country, organized a supplementary meeting in Brussels, Belgium's capital and the administrative center of the European Union. This strategic location allowed for broader European participation in discussions about research cooperation and academic policy alignment between Taiwan, France, and other European nations.
During their addresses at this extension event, both Chairman Wu and Director-General Lee underscored France's position as a vital European partner for Taiwan in the educational sphere, articulating their shared vision for deepening institutional connections and developing new collaborative initiatives across disciplines.
The foundation reported a significant diplomatic achievement as French academic representatives explicitly recognized Taiwan's global leadership position in semiconductor technology and other advanced technological fields, sectors that have become increasingly crucial for European economic and research development. This acknowledgment translated into concrete action with the signing of a formal memorandum of understanding between the Taiwanese delegation and the University of Lille, one of France's premier research institutions.
The agreement establishes a framework for expanded academic exchanges, joint research initiatives, student mobility programs, and faculty collaboration that could potentially serve as a model for future partnerships between Taiwanese and European educational institutions. ◼