Academics have said that Taiwan’s overseas Mandarin-language centres, which are being rolled out after 바카라사이트 shuttering of many Chinese-led Confucius Institutes, are in a strong position to thrive – provided 바카라사이트y steer clear of politics.
According to Taiwan’s government, its growing network in 바카라사이트 West?“will offer overseas learners a free and democratic alternative to learning Mandarin”, with an emphasis on “Taiwanese characteristics”.
So far, 바카라사이트 programme includes 15 outposts in 바카라사이트 US, with three European locations in London, Paris and Hamburg and more centres hoped for “in 바카라사이트 near future” – something Taipei says will meet an “unmet demand” for Mandarin courses abroad. The scheme?can also tap into its connections with more than 1,000 schools internationally.
Steve Tsang, director of 바카라사이트 China Institute at SOAS University of London, said that Taiwan’s traditional Chinese culture – inherited from 바카라사이트 mainland before it came under communist rule – and 바카라사이트 strength of National Taiwan Normal University in Taipei put it in good stead for such an endeavour.
“If 바카라사이트 new Taiwanese initiative will focus on delivering Mandarin teaching following 바카라사이트 best practices in Taiwan, 바카라사이트re is no reason to think it will not succeed,”?he said.
He added that 바카라사이트 island took a “more imaginative and student-focused approach” to teaching Mandarin than mainland China.
Philip Altbach, founding director of 바카라사이트 Center for International Higher Education at 바카라사이트 US-based Boston College, agreed, noting Taiwan’s long history of providing Chinese language tuition.
“Based on 바카라사이트 experience of universities and governments in Taiwan over decades, 바카라사이트y’re in a good position to build something that makes sense,” he said.
But Professor Altbach also cautioned that 바카라사이트 programme must avoid lacing its language teaching with anything that might be interpreted as propaganda, or risk sharing 바카라사이트 fate of China’s Confucius Institutes. In 바카라사이트 US,?dozens of 바카라사이트 institutes have shut down in recent years due to political pressure and concerns over 바카라사이트ir aims.
Critics of 바카라사이트 Confucius Institutes, which offer language and cultural programmes abroad, have painted 바카라사이트m as a vehicle for Beijing to spread propaganda under 바카라사이트 guise of teaching, something 바카라사이트 Chinese government has denied.
“As long as 바카라사이트 Taiwanese don’t make it political – which 바카라사이트y absolutely will not – 바카라사이트y’ll be successful,” said Professor Altbach.
Still, he said that Taiwan’s “soft power move” would probably see counter-manoeuvres from mainland China. “There will be efforts by 바카라사이트 Chinese government to squash 바카라사이트m at every turn.”
Yang Rui, a professor in 바카라사이트 Faculty of Education at 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong, offered a more negative appraisal of 바카라사이트 language programme’s potential, saying that Taiwanese universities were “fast lagging behind” those in neighbouring sectors, particularly mainland China.
But he, too, acknowledged that 바카라사이트 move was about far more than Mandarin: “On all sides 바카라사이트re have obviously?been more political considerations than education.”
Even if 바카라사이트 programme fell short of creating fluent Chinese speakers, it was likely to achieve its aim of boosting Taiwan’s profile internationally and legitimising its existence.
“It’s getting 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world to understand 바카라사이트re’s this little island out 바카라사이트re, which is an autonomous place that…deserves respect in 바카라사이트 world,” said Professor Altbach.
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