【Article by Chinese Language Center】

On July 31, 2026, National Chengchi University (NCCU) completed the first year of its fifth phase of the Taiwan Huayu BEST Program, continuing its efforts to expand international partnerships and provide more opportunities for international students to study Mandarin in Taiwan. Under the leadership of Director Jiang(姜翠芬主任), the NCCU Huayu BEST Program has broadened its global network, establishing and strengthening ties with universities in New Zealand, Poland, Spain, Japan, and the Czech Republic, and beyond.

The NCCU Huayu BEST Program Office reached a new milestone this summer, welcoming outstanding international students from five overseas universities to join the program at NCCU Chinese Language Center (CLC). The group included 5 students from the University of Virginia (UVA), 7 from the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), 4 from Trier University, and 2 from Masaryk University. For the first time, the program also hosted a short-term group from Texas A&M University (TAMU), comprising 11 students and one faculty member.

The Huayu BEST Program extends Mandarin learning beyond the classroom through its “Big Hands Hold Small Hands” (大手攜小手活動) activities, which bring international students together with local school communities for language practice and cultural exchange. This summer, the Huayu BEST Program Office organized two such events in partnership with Shifen Elementary School (十分國小) and Shenkeng Elementary School (深坑國小). On July 25, 13 Huayu BEST Program students traveled to Crayon Castle (蠟筆城堡) in Yilan with 8 students, 6 parents, and 3 teachers from Shifen Elementary School. The second event, “the Cross-Cultural Dragon Boat Journey” (跨文化龍舟之旅), was held in Bitan on August 2 together with Shenkeng Elementary School, bringing together more than 70 participants. NCCU study tutors joined both events, helping bridge language gaps and facilitate communication among international students, local schoolchildren, and their families.

During the visit to Crayon Castle, international students and their study tutors worked alongside Shifen Elementary School students and their parents in a series of DIY workshops. Participants made colorful spinning pinwheels, assembled their own markers, used a special press to reshape pieces of wax crayon into multicolored figures, and tried face and body painting. Since the workshops were conducted entirely in Mandarin, international students were able to use the language in a practical setting outside the classroom. The schoolchildren and their parents helped explain instructions and showed them how to use unfamiliar equipment. As they worked together, the creative activities naturally opened the door to conversation and interaction. At the end of the event, Shifen Elementary School presented the NCCU Huayu BEST Program Office with a certificate of appreciation. Each international student also received a small illuminated lantern—one of Shifen’s most recognizable symbols—as a memorable souvenir.

The second summer event, Cross-Cultural Dragon Boat Journey, took place in Bitan in partnership with Shenkeng Elementary School. Building on the positive feedback from last year’s participants, the Huayu BEST Program Office held the event again this summer, with participation growing from approximately 40 people to more than 70. The event brought together international students, NCCU study tutors, Shenkeng Elementary School students, and their parents.

Participants formed four teams: “Drink Water” (喝水), “Flash” (閃電), “Mario” (瑪利歐), and “Flying Dragon” (飛龍). Each team included international students, NCCU study tutors, elementary school students, and parents. After a warm-up and a short practice session, the teams competed in two events: a speed race and a tug-of-war. The team “Mario” took first place in the speed race, while the team “Flash” won the tug-of-war. The winning teams received small commemorative prizes. Participants from the other teams, however, noted that winning was not the most important part of the experience. What mattered more was learning to work together, support their teammates, and move toward a shared goal.

Despite their very different formats, the two activities demonstrated how creativity and teamwork can bring together people of different ages and cultural backgrounds. Whether working side by side on creative projects or paddling together as a team, participants were able to overcome language and cultural barriers, get to know one another, and build connections through shared experiences.

Summer off-campus activities allow the Huayu BEST Program additional opportunities to extend language practice and cross-cultural interaction beyond the classroom. As NCCU’s international partnerships continue to expand, the program is welcoming students from an increasingly diverse range of countries, including a growing number from Europe. Therefore, local students are exposed not only to English, but also to a wider range of languages and cultures from around the world. In turn, international students can practice Mandarin with Taiwanese students while sharing their own languages and cultures with them. For NCCU study tutors, these activities also provide valuable firsthand experience in cross-cultural communication.

Looking ahead, the Huayu BEST Program Office plans to expand the scale of these events as its international partnerships continue to grow, bringing together more international students and members of the local community while developing new opportunities for interaction among NCCU, international students, and local schools.

More photos from the event are available on the NCCU Chinese Language Center’s Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/clcnccu/   (@clcnccu).