Kentucky, Taiwan partner to promote cross-cultural cooperation in higher education

September 30, 2021

The Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) and Taiwan’s Department of International and Cross-strait Education announced a partnership to promote educational and academic exchanges between Taiwan and the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Dr. Aaron Thompson, CPE president, and Dr. Nicole Yen-Yi Lee, director general of the Department of International and Cross-strait Education, signed the memorandum of understanding during a virtual ceremony held earlier today.

“Collaboration has always been key to our work in building a first-rate, inclusive higher education system,” said Thompson. “This partnership will help foster cross-cultural relationships between students, educators and institutions and create unique opportunities for both our Commonwealth and Taiwan.”

We have built some great friendships across the barriers of our oceans to work with Taiwan. - Rep. Ed Massey

The aim of the partnership is to enhance educational experiences and support student success in Taiwan and Kentucky through collaboration and information and resource sharing. This could include joint efforts to strengthen language teaching by training and recruiting teachers, organizing conferences and collaborating on education-related research.

Yen-Yi Lee said this agreement is a milestone and the first of its kind in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. 

“It is great to see the exchange of quality cooperation between the United States and Taiwan,” she said. “It is good for our spirit, this opportunity to cooperate (on higher education).”

The ceremony was attended by Kentucky Sen. Chris McDaniel and Reps. Ed Massey, Buddy Wheatley and Rachel Roberts. Massey said the agreement builds upon years of work by the Kentucky state legislature. 

“We have built some great friendships across the barriers of our oceans to work with Taiwan,” said Massey. “For the last two years we’ve sponsored resolutions in the House and the Senate Chambers in order to recognize and cultivate what we believe to be a very good partnership with our friends in Taiwan. This is an extension of that, and we are very appreciative to have this opportunity.”