NCUE President Yen-Kuang Kuo, who led a delegation to attend 2017 Taiwan Higher Education Exhibition held in Kuala Lumpur and Yong Ping of Malaysia, returned to Taiwan in mid-July. At the event, many Malaysian students were interested in NCUE because of its good academic reputation, close academic relationship with Malaysia and scholarships offered for Malaysian students. President Kuo also visited NCUE’s partner universities including Tunku Abdul Rahman University College, Malaysia Sarawak University and Han Chiang College, and independent high schools, hoping to deepen the relationship with “New Southern-bound Policy” countries and extend the opportunities of international exchange for NCUE faculty and students.

The number of Malaysian students enrolled at the universities and colleges in Taiwan for the 2016 academic year reached a new high of 16,000, making Malaysia the largest source of overseas Chinese students and foreign students to Taiwan. Taiwan is also one of Malaysian students’ favorite countries to study abroad, second only to Australia. The Taiwan Education Exhibition in Malaysia held for the 11th year is one of the largest overseas events created specifically for Taiwan higher education institutions. NCUE, which has attended it for consecutive years, is one of the 92 schools this year.

President Kuo led a few superintendents from the Collage of Extension Education, Center for Public Relations and Alumni Service, and Office of International and Cross-strait Affairs to the event. NCUE has been cultivating Malaysian education circle for years. President Kuo pointed out that, in addition to establishing four Master’s programs in Malaysia for the Chinese teachers to study, NCUE offers first-year tuition exemptions and a guarantee of a place in school accommodation to those admitted students who apply for admission with their principal’s recommendation. Malaysian students are also entitled to apply for the scholarships sponsored by Dr. Yang, Chung-Li.  

With a good academic reputation and awarding system, NCUE attracted many students so that the booth at the exhibition swarmed with people. Around 500 students who left their information for further contact mostly were intrigued to know about the programs in Management, Guidance and Counseling, Special Education, and Fine Arts.

At the Taiwan-Malaysia Higher Education Development Seminar organized by the exhibition, President Kuo delivered an impressive keynote speech on Taiwan's teaching education system and practice, as well as Taiwan's higher education advantages and competitiveness. He also visited National University of Malaysia and a few partner universities in Malaysia to have discussions on cooperative programs in hopes of facilitating further joint research and exchange.