NSYSU Hosts Taiwan-Philippines Medical Education Forum
2024-05-31
National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU), in collaboration with the Taiwan Education Center (TEC) in Philippines, successfully hosted the "2024 Taiwan-Philippines Medical University Leaders Forum." The event gathered 35 scholars from medical and nursing universities in the Philippines and nearly 100 domestic and Filipino scholars in Sihziwan, Kaohsiung. The forum focused on discussing medical education, systems, internships, and academic exchange agreements between Taiwan and the Philippines, aiming to foster close and diverse international cooperation in the future.
Dr. Chih-Wen Kuo, Interim President of NSYSU, emphasized the university's longstanding commitment to creating an international campus environment. Over the years, NSYSU has established cooperative relationships with over 300 international institutions across 44 countries, offering various programs such as research collaborations, academic activities, international exchanges, and dual degrees. Through the efforts of the Taiwan Education Center in Philippines hosted by NSYSU, Filipino scholars were invited to visit, paving the way for enhanced cooperation between Taiwan and the Philippines. Future collaborations will include short-term thematic studies, short-term research and internship projects (TEEP), faculty exchanges (guest lectures), doctoral scholarship programs, and teacher and equipment training programs. Additionally, initiatives like faculty lectures, two-week English presentation courses, and clinical observations for Taiwanese students in the Philippines are planned.
The NSYSU Office of International Affairs highlighted that the forum primarily focused on the exchange of academic research, practical applications, and educational resources in the medical and nursing fields. The goals include establishing meaningful international partnerships, exploring student exchange programs and global internship opportunities, and promoting cross-cultural learning and professional skill development.
Visiting members from Philippine medical and nursing universities were impressed by Taiwan's medical education, acknowledging Taiwan's robust medical research capabilities and excellent laboratory and internship facilities. They praised Taiwan's National Health Insurance system and execution, which they deemed beneficial for the Philippines to emulate. This mutual admiration underscores the potential for a fruitful partnership. Filipino scholars are considering leveraging Taiwan's medical education resources and geographical proximity to enhance their medical expertise by sending faculty and students to Taiwan for learning opportunities. The Philippines' active and successful global internship programs, which encourage students to undertake internships in Europe, the United States, and ASEAN countries before graduation, were also highlighted as a valuable reference for Taiwan. During their visit, the Philippine academic delegation toured the College of Medicine at National Taiwan University, Chang Gung University, and Kaohsiung Medical University to gain insights into Taiwan's medical education, bringing these learnings back to the Philippines as benchmarks.
Dr. Mitch Ming-Chi Chou, Director of the TEC Philippines and Vice President for International Affairs at NSYSU, noted the successful track record of NSYSU in managing the TEC since 2017, promoting academic cooperation between Taiwanese and Filipino higher education institutions. Key initiatives included the first "Taiwan Higher Education Fair" and the "Taiwan-Philippines University Presidents Forum" in Manila in 2018, the "Mandarin Study Tour" for Philippines Science High School students in Taiwan in 2019, and the "Taiwan-Philippines University Presidents Forum" at NSYSU. These past successes serve as a testament to the potential of future collaborations. Taiwanese students participated in the English international project-based service-learning course and volunteer service in the Philippines, and the "Taiwan Higher Education Fair" was held in Manila and Cebu. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the education fair was conducted in 2020, followed by an online "Taiwan-Philippines University Presidents Forum" in 2021. In 2023, physical exchanges resumed with the visit of the "Philippine Science High School System Principals Delegation" to Taiwan, and NSYSU returned to Manila and Cebu to hold the "Taiwan Higher Education Fair." This year's forum focused on medical education, aiming to strengthen substantial cooperation in the future.