NSYSU recognized by the MOE as BEST Bilingual Benchmark University for success in EMI teaching and internationalization
Since 2019, National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU) has been actively promoting a bilingual campus and English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) teaching, working towards creating an internationally oriented learning environment. The university's outstanding achievements in bilingual education have been recognized by Taiwan's Ministry of Education (MOE), which selected NSYSU in November 2024 as a "University-wide Benchmark Institution" of the BEST Program (the Program on Bilingual Education for Students in College), alongside National Cheng Kung University, National Taiwan University, and National Taiwan Normal University. This recognition highlights NSYSU's strong and steady progress in advancing bilingual education.
The MOE's selection criteria cover five key indicators: institutional strategy and management, teachers and teaching, students and learning, effectiveness in implementing bilingual initiatives, and the establishment of a comprehensive EMI course quality assurance mechanism. Upholding the core principles of "options for students," "supporting faculty," and "ensuring institutional preparedness," NSYSU continues to offer diverse academic and extracurricular programs to enhance EMI teaching and bilingual learning. Since the 2021 academic year, NSYSU has aligned its General English Education curriculum with the CEFR standards and further, in 2022, the university introduced ESP (English for Specific Purposes) and EAP (English for Academic Purposes) courses to support students' English proficiency in particular academic and professional fields. Additionally, NSYSU actively collaborates with international partners such as the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the Foundation for Scholarly Exchange (FSE, Fulbright Taiwan), and the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) to offer workshops, writing programs, and one-on-one consultations, providing students, faculty, and staff with abundant resources for English learning. These initiatives reflect NSYSU's outstanding performance across all bilingual education benchmarks.
In terms of international collaboration, NSYSU currently has partnerships with over 200 universities worldwide and 43 dual degree agreements. It actively promotes exchange programs to enhance students' global perspectives and mobility. Through integrating coursework and on-campus language learning activities such as international salons, English Table discussions, and speaking and writing workshops, NSYSU students have developed their English skills significantly. Currently, over 25% of second-year students have reached CEFR B2 level in listening and reading.
NSYSU Vice President for Academic Affairs Shu-chen Sherry Ou notes that the university conducts regular surveys on student learning and course effectiveness. The results indicate high satisfaction with EMI courses among students in both EMI and regular programs. In the 2023 academic year, NSYSU offered 1,134 EMI courses. 13 of its undergraduate programs have established EMI programs, accounting for 50% of all undergraduate programs. Following its recognition as a Bilingual Benchmark University, NSYSU will continue to focus on students' academic performance and implement multiple quality assurance initiatives to further its vision of becoming a fully bilingual university.
To support faculty in bilingual teaching, NSYSU actively organizes EMI professional development activities and international exchanges. The University invites experts in bilingual education from Taiwan and abroad to lead forums, lectures, and workshops, while also offering instructional consultations and classroom observations. As of 2023, 67.5% of NSYSU faculty have taught or co-taught EMI courses and 53% have participated in EMI teacher training. In recent years, NSYSU has partnered with Arizona State University, the University of California, San Diego, the University of Maryland, and Harvard Business School to organize overseas EMI training programs for faculty. Returning to NSYSU after completing these programs, the participating faculty have shared their overseas experience at university-wide professional development events, thus contributing to an open and supportive teaching community on campus.
With the support of the MOE and in the spirit of a Bilingual Benchmark University, NSYSU has established a Resource Center for Bilingual Education to share bilingual education policies, faculty training mechanisms, and EMI resources with other institutions. NSYSU President Chih-Peng Li emphasizes the University's commitment to advancing bilingual education through strategic resource allocation and a pragmatic approach. Through its robust achievements in bilingual education, NSYSU aspires to become an international academic hub in the Asia New Bay Area in Kaohsiung, bringing together students and scholars from around the world to advance academic and professional knowledge.
The MOE's selection criteria cover five key indicators: institutional strategy and management, teachers and teaching, students and learning, effectiveness in implementing bilingual initiatives, and the establishment of a comprehensive EMI course quality assurance mechanism. Upholding the core principles of "options for students," "supporting faculty," and "ensuring institutional preparedness," NSYSU continues to offer diverse academic and extracurricular programs to enhance EMI teaching and bilingual learning. Since the 2021 academic year, NSYSU has aligned its General English Education curriculum with the CEFR standards and further, in 2022, the university introduced ESP (English for Specific Purposes) and EAP (English for Academic Purposes) courses to support students' English proficiency in particular academic and professional fields. Additionally, NSYSU actively collaborates with international partners such as the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the Foundation for Scholarly Exchange (FSE, Fulbright Taiwan), and the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) to offer workshops, writing programs, and one-on-one consultations, providing students, faculty, and staff with abundant resources for English learning. These initiatives reflect NSYSU's outstanding performance across all bilingual education benchmarks.
In terms of international collaboration, NSYSU currently has partnerships with over 200 universities worldwide and 43 dual degree agreements. It actively promotes exchange programs to enhance students' global perspectives and mobility. Through integrating coursework and on-campus language learning activities such as international salons, English Table discussions, and speaking and writing workshops, NSYSU students have developed their English skills significantly. Currently, over 25% of second-year students have reached CEFR B2 level in listening and reading.
NSYSU Vice President for Academic Affairs Shu-chen Sherry Ou notes that the university conducts regular surveys on student learning and course effectiveness. The results indicate high satisfaction with EMI courses among students in both EMI and regular programs. In the 2023 academic year, NSYSU offered 1,134 EMI courses. 13 of its undergraduate programs have established EMI programs, accounting for 50% of all undergraduate programs. Following its recognition as a Bilingual Benchmark University, NSYSU will continue to focus on students' academic performance and implement multiple quality assurance initiatives to further its vision of becoming a fully bilingual university.
To support faculty in bilingual teaching, NSYSU actively organizes EMI professional development activities and international exchanges. The University invites experts in bilingual education from Taiwan and abroad to lead forums, lectures, and workshops, while also offering instructional consultations and classroom observations. As of 2023, 67.5% of NSYSU faculty have taught or co-taught EMI courses and 53% have participated in EMI teacher training. In recent years, NSYSU has partnered with Arizona State University, the University of California, San Diego, the University of Maryland, and Harvard Business School to organize overseas EMI training programs for faculty. Returning to NSYSU after completing these programs, the participating faculty have shared their overseas experience at university-wide professional development events, thus contributing to an open and supportive teaching community on campus.
With the support of the MOE and in the spirit of a Bilingual Benchmark University, NSYSU has established a Resource Center for Bilingual Education to share bilingual education policies, faculty training mechanisms, and EMI resources with other institutions. NSYSU President Chih-Peng Li emphasizes the University's commitment to advancing bilingual education through strategic resource allocation and a pragmatic approach. Through its robust achievements in bilingual education, NSYSU aspires to become an international academic hub in the Asia New Bay Area in Kaohsiung, bringing together students and scholars from around the world to advance academic and professional knowledge.
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