To address labor shortages in Taiwan, the Ministry of Education’s "International Student Recruitment and Retention Plan" will expand efforts to attract and retain international students, including overseas Chinese, Hong Kong, and Macau students. As part of this initiative, overseas bases will be established in Europe, the Americas, and New Southbound countries, offering Chinese language learning opportunities and promoting innovative programs. The first of these bases, located in Indonesia and highly valued by both Taiwan and Indonesia, has already been launched, with Cheng Shiu University appointed as the lead institution.

The plan includes establishing 10 overseas bases across Europe, the Americas, and New Southbound countries. Domestic universities will collaborate with industry to recruit international students for specialized programs. The initiative will be funded by the National Development Fund, covering tuition and fees, with companies offering a monthly stipend of NT$10,000. Graduates are required to work in Taiwan for two years, or they must return the subsidy if they choose not to stay.

The Indonesian base consists of three centers managed by Cheng Shiu University, Chaoyang University of Technology, and Hsing Wu University, providing consultation on studying in Taiwan and Chinese language instruction. Cheng Shiu University serves as the lead institution for the "International Industry-Academia Educational Cooperation Alliance" for the Indonesian base and the deputy lead for the Philippine base.

The Indonesian base was officially inaugurated on December 13, 2023, with the signing of memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with 31 Indonesian polytechnic universities to promote specialized programs. With the Philippines also presenting a large potential market for higher education, Cheng Shiu University has begun setting up an office at Cebu University, with operations expected to start in January 2024 following the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA).

According to the Taiwan representative office in Indonesia, approximately 17,000 Indonesian students are currently studying in Taiwan, making Indonesia the second-largest source of international students. Cheng Shiu University President Gong Rui-Zhang believes that these innovative programs, which offer scholarships from industry, government, and academia, along with a high-quality education environment, will be particularly appealing to Indonesian students given their low university enrollment rates.

In an interview with the "Higher Education Innovation E-Newsletter," President Gong described the overseas base initiative as a comprehensive international, interdepartmental, and inter-university project aimed at enhancing recruitment, offering Chinese language preparatory courses, fostering academic exchanges, promoting international collaboration, and providing career counseling and talent acquisition opportunities. The university plans to start recruiting top Indonesian students for study and employment in Taiwan through its specialized programs starting in March 2024.

President Gong emphasized the importance of these overseas bases in fostering international collaboration and recruitment. Both the government and businesses have high expectations that these bases will attract more talented Indonesian students to Taiwan, fulfilling the goals of the New Southbound Policy by cultivating talent jointly.