PR-2064
December 3, 2020
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
BETWEEN
THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE IN TAIWAN
AND
THE TAIPEI ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE IN THE UNITED STATES
ON INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION COOPERATION
A. Objective
The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO), collectively referred to as the “Participants,” intend to strengthen their cooperation and collaboration on international education, particularly in the area of language education. The U.S. Department of State is expected to serve as the designated representative for AIT; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the Ministry of Education (MOE), and the Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) are expected to serve as the designated representatives for TECRO. The Participants may involve other institutions in the authorities they represent in the implementation of this MOU.
B. Areas of Cooperation
The areas of cooperation under this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) are expected to be decided jointly by the Participants, through their designated representatives and in consultation with the Participants. The Participants, through their designated representatives, intend to consult periodically on matters in relation to international education exchange and in particular language education. AIT and TECRO, through their designated representatives, intend to work individually and, where appropriate, collectively in pursuing the following. Where appropriate, the Participants may document specific cooperation through implementing arrangements.
- Enhancing and expanding existing programs for two-way educational exchange.
- In collaboration with the Foundation for Scholarly Exchange (FSE), seeking opportunities to expand existing Fulbright programs to send Chinese language teachers from Taiwan to the United States, noting the success of the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) program which sends Americans to support English teaching in the territory represented by TECRO.
- Facilitating discussions of potential increased opportunities for overseas Chinese language teaching programs in the territories represented by TECRO funded by the authorities represented by AIT.
- Supporting Taiwan’s efforts to promote the use of Taiwan’s Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL) as a standard Mandarin language test in the territories represented by AIT, wherever appropriate, and to promote TOCFL to be one of the criteria for the Seal of Biliteracy and other awards, when applicable.
- Including existing programs for two-way educational exchange in the Talent Circulation Alliance (TCA) and using the TCA website as a platform to publicize these programs.
- Cooperating in locations outside the territories represented by the Participants to promote Taiwan’s role in Mandarin language teaching.
- Exploring opportunities for Chinese and English language teachers and resources to serve language programs in U.S. universities, Taiwan schools and other institutions, to facilitate cooperation and exchange on Chinese and English language education among universities between the authorities represented by AIT and TECRO.
- Enhancing English language programming and English content-based instruction teacher training in response to the 2030 Bilingual Education Initiative through virtual or in-person English Language Fellow projects and virtual or in-person English Language Specialist projects, as well as strategic planning with TECRO’s designated representative, the MOE.
- Promoting the availability of Taiwan culture and educational resources, through websites, social media accounts and other means managed by the Participants or the authorities they represent, to encourage more American students of the Chinese language to choose to study in the territory represented by TECRO through a variety of exchange programs, including the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship Program.
C. General
This MOU does not create legally binding obligations. All activities under this MOU are subject to the availability of funds and other resources, as well as any other applicable laws and regulations that may govern the Participants and their designated representatives.
D. Commencement, Modification, Discontinuation
Activities under this MOU may commence upon signature of the MOU by both Participants. The MOU is expected to remain in effect for a period of five (5) years. The MOU may be extended for additional five-year periods by the mutual written decision of the Participants. The MOU may be modified by mutual written decision of the Participants. It may be discontinued, in whole or in part, by either Participant at any time, but the discontinuing Participant is expected to provide written notification to the other Participant of its intent to discontinue participation in the MOU at least three (3) months in advance of the discontinuation. Discontinuation of this MOU is not intended to affect the validity, or the duration of projects initiated under this MOU prior to discontinuation.