UMY Held Taiwan Higher Education Fair for the third times in 2023
Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) successfully hosted the Taiwan Higher Education Fair (THEF) for the third time on March 15-16, previously hosting the event in 2017 and 2019. With almost 35 renowned Taiwanese colleges participating, the event attracted thousands of people. Each university got the opportunity to advertise its own campus, and visitors could do a consultation with representatives from each university directly.
Prof. Dr. Ir. Gunawan Budiyanto, M.P., IPM. ASEAN. Eng., Rector of UMY, expressing his gratitude to the Taiwan’s Ministry of Education, Taipei Economic and Trade Office, and Asia University for believing UMY to host THEF in Yogyakarta.
Furthermore, during the interview, Gunawan expressed his aim of enhancing education quality by sending students to Taiwan to study. “We expect that this would improve our education quality since we all know that Taiwan is the center of education quality in Asia. Thus, this education fair is a great opportunity for young generations in Yogyakarta.”
“Each year, we send 100 students and lecturers, as well as exchange students, to study in Taiwan at various universities,” Gunawan noted. The major purpose of these activities is to increase the number of Indonesian students who graduate from Taiwan.
Grace Ou, Director of the Education Division, Taipei Economic and Trade Office, also presenting during the education fair and explained that she expects more Indonesian students to visit Taiwan. “With Indonesia as the second largest foreign student country in Taiwan, we look forward to welcoming more Indonesian students.” Apart from that, we provide programs for lecturers. We intend to bring more Indonesian lecturers to Taiwan in the future.
Moreover, Prof. Ying Huei Chen, Ph.D., Dean of the International College of Asia University, highlighted that the event’s goal is to inform more Indonesian students about education in Taiwan. “Due to limitations in time and space, we were only able to invite 35 Taiwanese colleges to this education fair, despite the fact that many of them wanted to attend.”
“According to Indonesian governments, Taiwan is one of the top countries for sending students abroad, and now we have 17.000 Indonesian students studying in Taiwan. Muhammadiyah has committed to sending around 6000 students to Taiwan each year, and Indonesia may be the number 1 country with most students in Taiwan next year.” He added.