FICHET Leads Delegation to AIEA Annual Conference

The 2025 AIEA Annual Conference takes place in Houston, Texas, from March 2 to 5. Distinguished Prof. Cheng-Chih Wu, Chairperson of the Foundation for International Cooperation in Higher Education of Taiwan (FICHET), led a delegation of 13 representatives from 8 Taiwanese universities and institutions participating in the conference. It expands the collaboration in higher education between Taiwan and the U.S. and enhances international education experience exchange.

The AIEA Annual Conference is one of the most prominent annual international education events in the U.S.. This is the first time FICHET leading a Taiwan delegation to attend the event. The conference gathers 1,000 representatives from 50 countries, providing a platform to share innovative insights, and strategic trends in international education. This year’s theme, “Building Bridges: Leading Internationalization in a Changing World,” focuses on fostering internationalization in a dynamic global landscape, enabling participants to build connections.

Distinguished Prof. Wu emphasized that the United States has always been a key partner in Taiwan’s higher education collaborations. Since the launch of the U.S.-Taiwan Education Initiative in 2020, both sides have supported the principles of free and open education while deepening international education cooperation, particularly in English and Mandarin language education. Taiwan has already signed 26 MOUs on educational cooperation with 24 U.S. states, while the U.S. Department of State continues to support Taiwan's Bilingual 2030 Policy. Furthermore, the Taiwan Huayu Best Program has helped establish strong teaching connections between Taiwan and the U.S., demonstrating the close collaboration between both nations in education.

To further strengthen Taiwan-U.S. exchanges, a Taiwan Night Networking Dinner is held on the evening of March 3rd at the Link Lee Mansion of the University of St. Thomas in Houston. The event brings together around 40 participants, including representatives from FICHET, Director General Yvonne Hsiao of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston, Shu-Ya Yang, Director of the Education Division, as well as representatives from the University of St. Thomas, participating universities, and their U.S. partner institutions. This event serves as a platform for enhancing relationships, expanding international cooperation, and strengthening Taiwan-U.S. education exchanges for the future.