On December 1st, the Department of Applied Foreign Languages of Taiwan Tech held a signing ceremony for a dual-degree program and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a delegation from the University of Bristol, United Kingdom. The signing was conducted by Dr. Shao-Ting Hung, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at Taiwan Tech, and Natalie Edwards, Dean of the School of Modern Languages at the University of Bristol, representing their respective institutions. The University of Bristol, with a history of over a century, is ranked among the top 60 universities globally and is recognized as one of the founding members of the Russell Group, often dubbed the “Ivy League” of the United Kingdom.

The dual-degree signing ceremony was conducted by Dr. Shao-Ting Hung, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at Taiwan Tech (left), and Natalie Edwards, Dean of the School of Modern Languages at the University of Bristol (right), as representatives from both institutions.

The dual-degree program signed this time spans across Taiwan Tech's Department of Applied Foreign Languages for four-year undergraduate, two-year undergraduate, and master's degree students. Upon completing the required courses at Taiwan Tech, students will pursue a master's degree at the University of Bristol. This includes programs in Interpretation, Translation, Subtitling, and Comparative Literature. Upon fulfilling the graduation thesis requirements of both universities, students will be conferred the dual degree. They can choose to apply for the master's program they are interested in.

Students who are accepted into the dual-degree program can further apply for the "Taiwan Tech Excellence Scholarship for Overseas Study," which provides a scholarship of 90,000 New Taiwan Dollars per semester. Alternatively, they can apply for the University of Bristol's Think Big Postgraduate Awards, offering scholarships ranging from £6,500 to £26,000 per year. Additionally, the University of Bristol offers a 10% tuition fee reduction, approximately £2,480 to £3,130 (around NT$99,000 to NT$124,000). This reduction applies to students enrolling in 2024 and 2025, and the tuition fee will be adjusted annually due to inflation. Compared to independently studying abroad in the UK, the dual-degree program offers scholarships and tuition fee reductions, making it more beneficial for students.

The Department of Applied Foreign Languages from Taiwan Tech signed a dual-degree agreement with a delegation from the University of Bristol, United Kingdom.

Both Dr Shao-Ting Hung, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, and Dr Yi-Hsuan Lo, Director of the Department of Applied Foreign Languages at Taiwan Tech, expressed that both the University of Bristol and Taiwan Tech are prestigious institutions. After the pandemic, they have been diligently developing language courses that integrate AI technology with human creativity. These courses align with Taiwan's vision for bilingualism by 2030. They hope to pave a robust path for language major students to adapt to the future society more securely, especially in the face of the threat of language talent being replaced by machines.

A group photo was taken after the signing ceremony.

Natalie Edwards, the Dean of the School of Modern Languages at the University of Bristol, emphasized that the school is dedicated to language education across various disciplines. In the field of translation studies, it offers diverse master's and doctoral programs, including professional courses in Chinese-English interpretation, translation for subtitles, translation in gaming, and new distance-learning programs in conference interpretation, set to commence enrollment next year. These programs aim to nurture a new generation of language professionals. The institution's emphasis on interdisciplinary education, professional engagement, and a global perspective has positioned it as an academic institution embracing both technological advancements and language development, thriving in both teaching and research endeavors.

Dean Natalie Edwards from the School of Modern Languages at the University of Bristol provided an overview of the institution.

The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at Taiwan Tech also signed an exchange Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the School of Modern Languages at the University of Bristol. Discussions were held regarding potential future collaborations involving research, teaching, student exchange programs, and the possibility of short-term teaching appointments for faculty members. Following the signing ceremony on that day, faculty and students from the Department of Applied Foreign Languages at Taiwan Tech engaged in academic discussions and exchange activities related to the dual-degree program with the University of Bristol delegation.

The representatives from the University of Bristol, accompanied by faculty and students from Taiwan Tech's Department of Applied Foreign Languages, participated in a campus tour and visited the 3D printing center. Additionally, graduate students from Taiwan Tech's Department of Applied Foreign Languages provided interpretation services. The visiting delegation from the University of Bristol was impressed by the solid bilingual training at Taiwan Tech's Department of Applied Foreign Languages and the technological development capabilities showcased by Taiwan Tech.

The delegation from the University of Bristol visited the 3D printing center at Taiwan Tech.

A foreign language campus tour was accompanied by students from the Department of Foreign Languages of Taiwan Tech.

The delegation from the University of Bristol delegation, led by Dean Natalie Edwards from the School of Modern Languages, accompanied by Claire Knight, Academic Director of the Study Abroad Centre, and Susanna Batten, Officer from the International Cooperation Office, attended the event. Taiwan Tech's representatives included Vice President Ji-Cheng Liu, Director of the Office of International Affairs Ying-Jung Yeh, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Shao-Ting Hung, along with Yi-Hsuan Lo, Director of the Department of Applied Foreign Languages, and Sy-Ying Lee, Director of the General Education Center, who hosted the delegation.