The Education Ministry has passed a policy encouraging private universities to establish family-friendly housing units that will take effect in 2026. Speaking before the legislature this Thursday, Education Minister Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀) expressed his optimism about the policy and his hope that schools will align with international standards.

Earlier this month, the Education Ministry revised their guidelines for the allocation and application of funds for private technical and vocational institution development to include a NT$50,000 (US$1,594) subsidy for each family-friendly housing unit a school provides in its student dormitories. Cheng said this is to meet the needs of graduate students who have spouses and children, in addition to the many visiting scholars and exchange students from abroad who bring their families with them to Taiwan.

“Considering Taiwan’s academic exchanges and mobility in higher education, it’s important to provide better living support for international scholars, researchers, and domestic graduate students. We need to stay aligned with global practices,” Cheng said.

Cheng said the ministry’s position is to encourage cooperation and that they will provide appropriate financial support. He believes that as Taiwan’s higher education becomes more international, the needs for such facilities will surely increase. He added that the number of foreign faculty in many Taiwanese universities is increasing, so strengthening international academic exchange and cooperation is crucial for the advancement of Taiwan’s higher education.