Back-
National Taiwan University’s prayer room and ablution facilities (July 24, 2026)
On July 24, 2026, the Education and Culture Committee of the Control Yuan (CY) approved an investigation report submitted by the sixth-term CY members Lai Ting-ming and Tien Chiu-chin regarding the rights and interests of international students studying in Taiwan. The report urged the Ministry of Education (MOE) to respond to the trend of higher education internationalization by learning from advanced countries’ forward-looking approaches to global talent acquisition, accelerating cross-ministerial resource integration, and refining admission mechanisms to attract outstanding international students, thereby enhancing Taiwan’s global competitiveness in higher education. Citing Australia as an example, the report noted that Australia has established the Education Services for Overseas Students Act (ESOS Act) and the Principles to Promote and Protect the Human Rights of International Students to safeguard the rights and interests of international students in education, daily life, and healthcare; these forward-thinking approaches serve as a useful reference for Taiwan.
The investigation report noted that the Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL) serves as the language proficiency standard for international students seeking to study in Taiwan, and their listening, speaking, reading, and writing abilities directly affect their learning outcomes. On-site inspections and discussions revealed that some international students’ actual Chinese proficiency did not match their test results, leading to their inability to meet the TOCFL threshold within the prescribed period after enrollment and subsequent expulsion. This in turn creates administrative burdens, such as the reporting of irregular enrollment status and tracking students’ departure from Taiwan. The MOE should therefore strengthen quality control of the TOCFL to safeguard the quality of Taiwan’s higher education.
The investigation report also found that creating a religion-friendly environment and respecting cultural diversity on campuses are essential for Taiwan to uphold international human rights values and to attract and retain outstanding international students. While some colleges and universities have established Muslim prayer rooms and ablution facilities (Wudu), these still require further improvement to advance the goal of internationalized, human-rights-friendly campuses. The MOE in particular should continue to oversee institutions’ efforts to improve these facilities, thereby fostering a higher education environment that is internationally appealing, diverse, and inclusive for students from abroad.
The investigating CY members emphasized that international students are an important source of global talent for Taiwan and a crucial foundation for promoting international exchange. However, the investigation found that deficiencies remain in international students’ healthcare coverage, transportation safety, and residency rights in Taiwan, which cannot be resolved solely by the schools. The MOE should actively exercise its inter-ministerial coordination role and strengthen liaison mechanisms to protect the rights of international students in Taiwan.
Source: Control Yuan, Taiwan
