Post date: Mar 7, 2016 7:48:23 AM
Taiwan and the U.S. are both world leaders in educating children and adults for the 21st century, so it comes as no surprise that the educational links between our two nations are strong. Educational ties between the Republic of China and the United States date back more than a century, from the Boxer Indemnity Scholarship Program which provided grants to Chinese students to undertake degree studies in the US. Many highly skilled people were educated under the program, including three Nobel laureates.
Today, 24,485 Taiwanese students studied in the U.S. during the 2014-2015 school year, based on the SEVIS data.
Taiwan and the U.S. share many common values, including a deep appreciation and understanding of the value of a good education. Also similar to the United States, Taiwanese students usually complete 12 years of initial education, progressing through elementary school, junior high school, and senior high school. Some students will attend vocational school in lieu of senior high school. Taiwan transitioned from a system of 9-years of compulsory education to 12-years of compulsory education for all students in 2015. After senior high school, many students go on to attend one of Taiwan's one hundred plus institutions of higher education, a combination of both public and private entities. Taiwanese students are regularly ranked near the top in many international educational assessments. In the OECD's Program for International Student Assessment (2009), Taiwanese students scored 5th highest in math compared to their international peers, and 12th in Science.