To encourage international students to speak Chinese more often and with greater confidence, the Office of International Affairs organized the Mandarin Speech Contest for International Students on May 29. The contest was open to international students, overseas Chinese students, exchange students, and interns at CCU, attracting more than 25 participants. For the students, each speech was not only part of a competition, but also an opportunity to share their life and learning experiences in Taiwan. The event was lively and filled with laughter.

The Office of International Affairs stated that while CCU continues to promote an international campus, it also encourages international students to learn Chinese. For this contest, the Office prepared three speech topics: “Interesting Experiences in Learning Mandarin,” “Why I Started Learning Mandarin,” and “How Learning Mandarin Changed My Life.” Each contestant drew a topic 10 minutes before going on stage and delivered a five-minute speech.

In their speeches, students shared not only their experiences of learning Chinese, but also how the language helped them make more friends and broaden their perspectives. One student said that learning Chinese helped them change “from someone who had ideas but could not express them, into someone whose voice could be heard.” The student also encouraged others to make good use of their time in Taiwan to improve their Chinese ability. Another contestant brought props to the contest and shared a funny experience of ordering food, when they accidentally said “extra spicy” instead of “medium spicy,” bringing laughter to the audience.

At the end of the contest, the judges gave overall comments and feedback. Prof. Victoria Rau, Vice President for International Affairs, praised the students’ performance and encouraged them to prepare speeches that are more focused and composed. Ms. Yu-Ning Lai from the Language Center encouraged students by emphasizing that the most important part of language learning is having the courage to speak. Associate Vice President for International Affairs Yi-Mei Lin and Director of the International Student Affairs Division Van-Linh Nguyen also shared their own experiences of learning new languages to encourage the students. Director Nguyen, who was once an international student himself, reminded students that learning Chinese well is very important for their studies, employment, and interpersonal development.

The Office of International Affairs also used the contest as an opportunity to remind international students about the Mandarin proficiency test reward. To encourage students to make use of campus resources and take Mandarin proficiency tests, students who pass the A2 level may receive a reward of NT$2,000, while those who pass the B1 level may receive NT$4,000. Applications will be open from June 1. Further details and the application link will be announced by the Office.

In addition, the Office is actively preparing a Zero-Beginner Mandarin Course for international students who will stay in Taiwan during the summer vacation. The course aims to help students begin their language learning journey. For students who are interested in continuing their studies, CCU’s Language Center, which has recently received the Ministry of Education’s certification as a Chinese language education institution for overseas recruitment, also offers individualized and modular courses.

Through these language learning resources, CCU hopes to help international students study in Taiwan, better integrate into local life, and eventually achieve the goal of staying in Taiwan for work and life.