The University of Illinois System is expanding Mandarin language education for students across all three of its campuses in collaboration with the University Academic Alliance in Taiwan. This partnership, facilitated by the Center for East Asian and Pacific Studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and National Tsing Hua University provides new opportunities for students to study in Taiwan and for faculty and staff to engage in exchanges with colleagues at leading Taiwanese universities.

In support of the partnership, UAAT has opened a program liaison office in Champaign and is holding a formal opening ceremony Oct. 15 at 10 a.m. in the Literature, Cultures, and Linguistics Building’s Lucy Ellis Lounge (707 S. Mathews Avenue, Urbana).

The UAAT Mandarin Education Program is part of a larger collaboration between the system and UAAT that launched in 2023 to develop joint research, graduate exchange and internship programs, short courses and workshops, academic conferences and professional development activities, an industry-academic collaboration program and a Mandarin language exchange. Activities are focused in the areas of semiconductors, quantum technology, AI and data science, and the Mandarin language.

NTHU — one of Asia’s top research universities that is recognized globally for its strengths in science, technology and the humanities — is the lead UAAT institution on the Mandarin language program.

“Collaborations like the one we have with UAAT are critical to solving some of the major challenges of our time,” University of Illinois System Vice President for Economic Development and Innovation Jay Walsh said. “In addition to partnering on key research areas such as quantum technology and semiconductors, we strive to expand our students’ exposure to the Mandarin language and Taiwanese culture, which is important as our students look to careers with global reach.”

UAAT is consortium of 12 leading Taiwanese universities that aims to facilitate the exchange and circulation of top international talent between universities in Taiwan and overseas universities. Through the establishment of liaison offices at partner universities, the UAAT Mandarin Education Program facilitates exchange and cooperation initiatives, supports the development of educational materials and works to integrate Mandarin learning with professional training. The program will help U of I System students build their capacities in Mandarin and access new educational and professional opportunities.

“We are delighted to further strengthen our partnership with the University of Illinois System. Through the UAAT Mandarin Education Program, we not only deepen academic exchange between the U of I System and UAAT institutions but also provide University of Illinois students with access to high-quality Mandarin education, the vibrant culture of Taiwan, and diverse career opportunities — empowering them to become leaders and innovators on the global stage,” NTHU President W. John Kao said.

In the first year of the program, five U of I System students received scholarships to attend a 12-week summer program at NTHU’s Chinese Language Center in Taiwan. As the convener of the UAAT Mandarin Education Program, NTHU plays a central role in welcoming international students, promoting cross-cultural understanding and fostering global academic collaboration. The students — three from the Urbana-Champaign campus and two from the Chicago campus — also completed an intensive 120-hour online Mandarin course prior to their departure. The course was taught by liaison office staff in Urbana-Champaign and brought the Illinois students together with 10 student language partners in Taiwan.

In June, faculty and staff from the Urbana-Champaign and Chicago campuses traveled to NTHU to participate in a symposium on “New Frontiers in Mandarin Language Education” with colleagues from UAAT universities. The symposium, co-organized by the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, featured keynote presentations and roundtable discussions on topics such as “Interdisciplinary Approaches to Mandarin and East Asian Studies” and “Fostering Global Competence through Language Education.” The University of Illinois delegation also visited five UAAT universities to learn about their Mandarin language instructional programs.

The UAAT liaison office in Urbana-Champaign has been offering Taiwan-focused programming to the Urbana-Champaign campus and the broader community. In April, the office hosted a screening of the documentary film “Taiwan Undaunted”; attendees had the opportunity to try Taiwanese snacks and bubble tea. In July, more than 50 community members learned about Taiwanese food, games and traditions in a “Taiwan Adventure” event held at the Champaign Public Library.

Contact and Program Information

For more information about the UAAT Mandarin Education Program, please contact CEAPS Associate Director Yuchia Chang at yuchia@illinois.edu.

Program website: https://sites.google.com/view/nthu-uaat-mandarin/nthu-uaat-mandarin-program

CEAPS website: https://ceaps.illinois.edu/