From June 15 to 21, 2025, a delegation from the National Council of State Supervisors for Languages (NCSSFL), including President Melissa Monroe and Vice President Stacy Lyon, visited Taiwan to promote cooperation in language education, proficiency assessment, and Mandarin teaching.
Organized by the Foundation for International Cooperation in Higher Education of Taiwan (FICHET) and accompanied by Ministry of Education representatives, the delegation met with key institutions including the Ministry of Education and NTNU.
CYCU was the only private university selected for the visit, recognized for its long-standing commitment to Mandarin education and innovative integration of AI in teaching. CYCU President Samuel Y. M. Lee personally welcomed the delegation, expressing hope for strengthened Taiwan-U.S. collaboration in cultivating globally competent talent.
CYCU President Samuel Y. M. Lee introduced the university’s strengths in AI, digital humanities, and Mandarin education to the NCSSFL delegation. He highlighted CYCU’s investment of over NT$16 million in building advanced AI and metaverse classrooms, establishing the university as a leader in smart teaching environments in Taiwan.
During the visit, the delegation experienced virtual reality in CYCU’s Metaverse Smart Classroom. NCSSFL’s incoming president, Cathleen Skinner, expressed great interest in the technology’s potential for enhancing language instruction.
During the visit, the NCSSFL delegation showed strong interest in CYCU’s comprehensive approach to Mandarin language education — including proficiency assessment, curriculum development, teacher training, and student internship programs. They expressed hopes to collaborate with CYCU on larger-scale language education exchange initiatives in the future.
Rocio Zalba, World Language Specialist from the South Carolina Department of Education, was particularly interested in CYCU’s role in developing Mandarin teaching materials for U.S. high schools under a Ministry of Education project, expressing intent to explore their use in American classrooms.
Prof. Daphne Ou, Director of CYCU’s Chinese Language Center and Chair of the Department of Applied Chinese Language and Culture, emphasized the university’s commitment to building an innovative and diversified Mandarin education system in response to growing global demand and digital transformation. The center actively integrates AI technologies to enhance teaching effectiveness and teacher training in digital materials.
Instructor Wan-Chun Liao demonstrated how AI tools are used to generate teaching content and lesson plans, showcasing CYCU’s achievements in digitalizing Mandarin instruction.
Additionally, CYCU’s Applied Chinese program emphasizes both theory and practice, offering students hands-on teaching experience through internships, cross-cultural activities, and global partnerships. Chunmei Guan, a committee member of the Chinese Language Teachers Association (CLTA), welcomed the idea of CYCU undergraduates and graduate students participating in internships and cultural exchange programs at schools across the U.S.
CYCU has demonstrated strong performance in international collaboration, previously receiving funding from the EU’s Jean Monnet Programme and actively expanding its global academic network. Through ongoing dialogue and cooperation, the university aims to advance the internationalization of Mandarin education, foster interdisciplinary and cross-cultural learning environments, and explore new avenues for innovative collaboration.
The NCSSFL delegation’s visit marks a new opportunity for CYCU in the field of international Mandarin education. Both parties will explore deeper cooperation in areas such as teacher training, digital teaching resources, and international student exchanges—further strengthening Taiwan-U.S. collaboration in language education.
