A piloting ‘dual degree’ programme introduced to secondary education in Taiwan

Taipei Municipal Zhongzheng Senior High School (‘Zhongzheng’) is partnering with Fairmont Private Schools in the United States (‘Fairmont’) to establish a joint programme which offers Taiwanese students with an opportunity to acquire academic qualifications awarded by partnering schools. This three-year programme will be delivered in Taiwan, combining Taiwan’s national curriculum and credit bearing courses including AP taught in English that Fairmont suggests and oversees.

Students completing the programme and assessment will be awarded qualifications for progressing onto higher education in either the US or Taiwan. Benefits would be for students to study an international qualification in country at a much more affordable cost whilst developing essential skills needed for future success.

This programme is supported by Taipei Education Bureau with funding to sponsor up to 15 eligible and disadvantaged students joining Zhongzheng in the first year of study. The tuition fee is approximately GBP 8,500 for three academic years, including costs of two-week study in Fairmont. The bureau has also allocated additional budget to cover eight visits a year from Fairmont to Zhongzheng.

Source (written in Chinese): www.doe.gov.taipei/News_Content.aspx?n=C83263429DF10117&sms=72544237BBE4C5F6&s=57B8C9632920DBED

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

This pilot scheme with the government endorsement will have a positive impact on student enrolments in US universities but in the long run this could lead to opportunities for UK institutions that accept Taiwanese students with comparable SAT and/or AP results. UK institutions having visited international/English-medium schools in Taipei may take into account public schools joining the partnership programme, British Council will advise which schools in due course.

For non-HE institutions with interest to create links with Taiwanese senior high schools, hosting study visit is the best way to start and further partnership can then be developed from there.