With emerging business markets as well as an increasing population, South East Asia has been highlighted by the new government that aims to widen Taiwan’s engagement in the areas of student recruitment, exchange of young talent and entrepreneurship.

Local universities have moved towards the south in addition to the west (China) as a result of low birth rates in Taiwan. More than 26,000 students from ASEAN nations enrolled with a Taiwanese university in 2015, Malaysia alone accounted for over 50 per cent of this student cohort, together with a notable growth from Indonesia and Burma. A dedicated programme ‘The Elite Study in Taiwan' (ESIT) is in charge of exporting Taiwan’s higher education to Southeast Asian countries, currently representing 68 universities in Taiwan.

South East Asia is not only a source of students to local HEIs but also contributes to enrolments in primary and lower secondary schools─ in the academic year 2015 nearly 10 per cent of overall pupils (210,000) with parents who are not Taiwan nationals. The Ministry of Education suggests these pupils could be a driving force in the future under the government’s ‘southbound’ agenda on outward mobility, although Taiwanese students studying in South East Asia are relatively small (2,000) as opposed to 26,000 ASEAN students reported last year.

Commentary by Silvia Fan, Marketing Services Manager, British Council Taiwan

There could be opportunities for universities in Taiwan to diversify their source of students, particularly for those relying on one single market such as Mainland China, or Mandarin-speaking overseas Chinese from Malaysia. But it is questionable that the focus on South East Asia will be financially sustainable in a long term, as most students sent by ASEAN were government-sponsored. Challenges do also exist for Taiwan-Southeast Asia engagement in higher education and student mobility, such as languages, visas, regulations on post-study work and recognition of academic qualifications received through different education systems.

Apart from that, students with interest in learning Mandarin while gaining cultural experience with competitive living cost may find Taiwan an appealing study destination. However, implication for the UK that Taiwan could be a potential competitor in Southeast Asian markets is not clear due to different student segmentation.