In order to advocate the policy objectives for overseas compatriot students and explain the latest amendments and practices of related statutes, as well as to provide an opportunity for overseas compatriot student counselors across the country to interact with each other to ensure the smoother facilitation of their work, the Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) hosted the "2017 OCAC National Overseas Compatriot Student Counselors Symposium" at the Taiwan Academy of Banking and Finance on December 26-27, 2017.

Attending the symposium were 121 overseas compatriot student counselors from 115 schools across the nation. At the event, in addition to promoting OCAC’s various policies and counseling measures regarding overseas compatriot students, 16 counselors were invited to share their experiences during topic-based seminars, so that the counselors could exchange ideas with one another and increase their work-related knowledge base. Furthermore, OCAC arranged a joint cross-ministry forum, and invited representatives from eight ministries and commissions, including the Ministry of Education. Together, they replied to proposals from the overseas compatriot student counselors, to assist them in resolving difficulties and smoothly conduct their counseling work. 

The closing ceremony of the symposium was presided over by OCAC Deputy Minister Chiu-Chin Tien. She expressed in her speech that to the overseas compatriot students, every counselor is like a family member in Taiwan, and even more, like a benefactor in their lives, accompanying the students in overcoming all kinds of obstacles and difficulties in their life and learning. After the graduation of overseas compatriot students, they return to their regions of residence and become a source of strength around the world that is close to, friendly to, and supportive of Taiwan. The care they received from the overseas compatriot counselors at their schools and the students’ fond memories at the schools become the most important life experience during their stay in Taiwan.

At the end of the event, Deputy Minister Tien presented souvenirs to the overseas compatriot student counselors who shared their experiences. Through this symposium, the knowledge and experiences of overseas compatriot student counseling could be shared and passed down, so that the counselors at each school across Taiwan could enrich their work knowledge and passion, and continue to provide warm and appropriate counseling and care to the overseas compatriot students. 

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