In an increasingly globalized world, the added value achieved by combining professional skills with bilingual proficiency will be a key factor in deciding the future competitiveness of individuals, businesses and nations. Bilingual 2030 is an important strategic initiative, which aims to build upon Taiwan's natural advantage as a Mandarin-speaking nation by improving the public's English proficiency, with a particular focus on the younger generation. Stronger international communication skills will make Taiwan a more attractive and accessible location for multinational corporations and raise the global competitiveness of domestic industries, bringing the world to Taiwan and Taiwan to the world.
Key objectives
■ Enhanced English proficiency in higher education: Develop selected "beacon" bilingual schools and colleges to cultivate bilingual talent within professional fields; establish bilingual education teaching resource centers to help raise students' English proficiency; and promote industry-university cooperation to facilitate the founding of colleges for key industries.
■ Bilingual teaching from elementary to senior high school: Establish more experimental bilingual classes in senior high schools, promote English courses taught fully in English, foster sister relationships with overseas schools, recruit more full-time and part-time foreign English teachers and train Taiwanese bilingual teachers.
■ Improved digital learning tools: Use digital learning platforms to train bilingual talent within the civil service and professional fields; form public-private partnerships to produce and broadcast English language learning materials; and build the Bilingual Portal website for sharing free English language learning resources from around the world. Use a learning platform as a study aid for students in rural and remote areas and optimize the language learning environments of local governments and schools.
■ Urban-rural educational equality: Subsidize the use of mobile devices in rural and remote school classrooms and maximize use of technology to improve bilingual learning efficiency. Continue to administer programs including Bilingual Digital Learning, and International Companions for Learning.
■ Bilingual public services: Includes organizing workshops to improve the English proficiency of civil servants and integrating bilingual elements into educational exhibitions, as well as local events and activities, to create bilingual language learning environments for the public.
■ Expanded English proficiency testing: Increase the number of testing venues and examination dates for the General English Proficiency Test, provide examinees with free online practice tests to guide learning, and launch the BEST Test of English Proficiency for college and university students.