An invitational group of 34 people from the World Federation of Taiwan Alumni Associations led   by President Han Pao-Ting visited Taiwan September 17-22. The group took part in the Seminar on Overseas Compatriot Student Development Globally and in New Southbound Countries at the        Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) on September 21; OCAC Deputy Minister Kao      Chien-chih chaired the meeting, accompanied by Chief Secretary Chang Liang-min. Although        OCAC Minister Wu Hsin-shing did not chair the meeting, he specially arranged a farewell            banquet for  the visitors and served as witness of the handover on the outgoing president to the        incoming 12th president of  the Federation, Lee Ser-chong. 

During the Seminar, on behalf of Minister Wu, Kao Chien-chih thanked the alumni leaders and officials from various places for their long-term effort to promote overseas compatriot student affairs; he stated Taiwan alumni associations across the world have, for many years, helped the government promote overseas compatriot student policy and with their own experience,  assisted the OCAC with student recruitment, showing a spirit of “remembering the source when drinking water” that is admirable. As well as  recruiting  middle school graduates from Southeast Asia to come to Taiwan to study on the The 3+4 Vocational Education Program for Overseas Compatriot Students , the OCAC also simultaneously promotes the Overseas Youth Vocational Training Program to encourage students to come to Taiwan to learn a skill. This Seminar  gave alumni association presidents a chance to share experience in the area  of  student recruitment, they were also able to learn about  the situation with regard overseas Chinese students from various countries studying in Taiwan and also discuss how to recruit overseas compatriot students in ways that suit local conditions.

During the banquet, Minister Wu said that the OCAC and Ministry of Education   have worked hard to provide complete guidance to students when they study in Taiwan and have  relaxed related        regulations, providing diverse enrollment channels, to encourage more overseas compatriot   students to come to Taiwan to study. In addition, from this year, graduates of the Overseas Youth  Vocational Training Program have been    awarded a  graduation certificate and, in the draft New Economic Immigration Act, the  National Development Council  has made graduates of  The 3+4 Vocational Education Program for Overseas Compatriot Students and the  Overseas Youth Vocational Training Program who hold related certificates eligible  to stay in Taiwan to work after graduation and receive permanent residency, which will be of significant  assistance in  helping industry to upgrade. Finally,  he also congratulated Ser-chong Lee   on  becoming president of the World Federation of Taiwan Alumni Associations   and expressed the hope he can lead the Federation forward .

This grand occasion was also attended by Legislator Lin Li-chan, Ministry of                                   Examination   Political Deputy Minister  Hsu Shu-hsiang, former ROC representatives in Malaysia,   Luo You-chung and Chang Ji-ping, former ROC representatives in Brunei, Huang Ching-hsiung     and Wan Jia-hsing, president of the Association of Overseas Compatriot Students in Taiwan, and       university presidents etc.

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