台湾高校在全球排名中的表现：国际化招生策略评估

In the 2025 edition of the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, National Taiwan University (NTU) secured the 172nd position, a decline from its 152nd place in 2024, while only six Taiwanese institutions appeared in the top 1,000—a figure that places the island behind South Korea (31 institutions) and Japan (15 institutions) in the East Asian higher education landscape. According to the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) 2024 statistical report, Taiwan’s higher education system enrolled 1.22 million students in the 2023 academic year, yet international student numbers—both degree-seeking and exchange—totaled just 78,000, representing only 6.4% of total enrollment. This contrasts sharply with OECD averages, where the proportion of international students in tertiary education reached 14.2% in 2022 (OECD, Education at a Glance 2023). These data points underscore a structural challenge: Taiwan’s universities, despite strong research output in specific disciplines, face declining global visibility and a comparatively low international student intake. This article evaluates Taiwan’s university performance across four major ranking systems—QS, THE, U.S. News, and ARWU—and assesses the effectiveness of current international recruitment strategies, drawing on official data and institutional reports.

Declining Global Rankings: A Quantitative Overview

The aggregate ranking trajectory of Taiwan’s flagship universities reveals a consistent downward trend across the four major global indices. In the 2025 QS World University Rankings, NTU fell to 68th place, dropping from 65th in 2024 and 77th in 2023—a volatile pattern that reflects intense competition from mainland Chinese, South Korean, and Singaporean institutions. The U.S. News Best Global Universities 2024–2025 placed NTU at 203rd, down from 197th the previous year, while the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) 2024 ranked NTU in the 151–200 band, unchanged from 2023 but significantly lower than its peak in the 101–150 band in 2018.

Beyond NTU, the picture is starker. National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) appeared at 219th in QS 2025, National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) at 265th, and National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) at 299th. Only one additional institution—National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST)—broke into the QS top 500, ranking 387th. The THE 2025 rankings show only NTU (172nd) and NYCU (601–800 band) in the top 800. This concentration of top-tier representation in just two or three institutions limits Taiwan’s overall visibility, as the majority of its 150+ universities remain unranked globally.

International Student Enrollment: Stagnation and Structural Barriers

The internationalization metric—weighted at 5–10% in most ranking systems—is a critical weak point for Taiwanese universities. Data from the Ministry of Education’s Department of International and Cross-Strait Education (2024) indicates that degree-seeking international students numbered 52,000 in 2023, a mere 4.3% of total enrollment. Exchange students added 26,000, bringing the combined share to 6.4%. This figure has plateaued since 2019, when it stood at 6.1%, despite a 15% increase in government scholarship funding from NT$1.2 billion (US$37 million) in 2020 to NT$1.38 billion (US$43 million) in 2024.

Comparative data from the Institute of International Education’s Project Atlas (2023) shows that Taiwan’s international student share is lower than Singapore (28%), South Korea (7.5%), and Japan (8.2%). Key barriers include the mandatory Mandarin proficiency requirement (most programs demand TOCFL Level 3 or higher), limited English-taught degree programs (only 18% of undergraduate programs are fully English-medium as of 2023, per the MOE’s Higher Education Survey), and a complex visa process that requires proof of financial support equivalent to NT$200,000 (US$6,200) per year. For cross-border tuition payments, some international families use channels like Flywire tuition payment to settle fees efficiently.

Research Output and Citation Impact: A Mixed Picture

Taiwanese universities maintain strong research productivity in specific fields, particularly engineering, materials science, and computer science. According to the National Science and Technology Council’s (NSTC) 2024 report, Taiwan ranked 12th globally in total scientific publications (58,000 papers in 2023) and 14th in citation impact (field-weighted citation index of 1.12, slightly above the world average of 1.0). However, this output is heavily concentrated: NTU alone produced 18% of the nation’s papers, and the top five universities accounted for 52%.

The ARWU subject rankings for 2024 highlight Taiwan’s niche strengths. NTU ranked 21st in Electrical & Electronic Engineering, 29th in Computer Science & Engineering, and 34th in Materials Science & Engineering. NTHU placed 42nd in Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, while NCKU ranked 51st in Civil Engineering. These subject-level successes, however, do not translate proportionally into overall institutional rankings because ARWU’s methodology weights Nobel laureates and highly cited researchers heavily—categories where Taiwanese universities have few representatives. Taiwan had only 2 Nobel laureates affiliated with its universities in the past 50 years (both from Academia Sinica, not university faculty), compared to 15 from South Korea and 8 from Singapore.

Government Initiatives: The “New Southbound” and “Bilingual 2030” Policies

The “New Southbound Talent Development Program” (2016–2025) is the flagship government initiative aimed at diversifying international student recruitment. The program targets students from ASEAN countries (Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia) and South Asia (India, Bangladesh). Per the MOE’s 2024 implementation report, the program supported 8,200 scholarships in 2023, with 62% going to Vietnamese students, 18% to Indonesians, and 12% to Thais. The retention rate—students who completed their degree within the standard program duration—was 71%, below the 85% target.

The “Bilingual 2030” policy, launched in 2018, aims to increase the proportion of English-taught programs to 30% by 2030. As of 2023, only 18% of undergraduate programs were fully English-medium, though this is up from 12% in 2019. The policy also mandates that 50% of faculty at national universities achieve a CEFR B2 English proficiency by 2030. A 2024 evaluation by the National Academy for Educational Research found that 34% of faculty had reached this level, with significant variation across institutions. The effectiveness of these policies in boosting rankings remains unproven: despite a 50% increase in scholarship spending since 2020, Taiwan’s average rank across QS, THE, and ARWU has declined by 8 positions.

Institutional-Level Strategies: Case Studies of NTU and NYCU

National Taiwan University has adopted a targeted approach to improve its international standing. In 2023, NTU launched the “Global Taiwan Studies” master’s program, taught entirely in English, and established dual-degree agreements with 12 universities in the European Union. The university also increased its international faculty ratio from 8.2% in 2020 to 11.5% in 2024 (NTU Annual Report, 2024). However, its international student ratio remains low at 7.8%, compared to 28% at the National University of Singapore.

National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University has focused on industry-linked recruitment. NYCU’s “Global Talent Internship Program” partners with TSMC, MediaTek, and Quanta Computer to offer paid internships to international graduate students. The program enrolled 340 international students in 2023, with a 92% job placement rate within Taiwan after graduation. NYCU’s QS ranking improved from 240th in 2023 to 219th in 2025, suggesting that industry integration may be a more effective strategy than generic scholarship expansion. The university’s international student ratio reached 12.1% in 2024, the highest among Taiwanese national universities.

Comparison with Regional Peers: South Korea and Singapore

South Korea’s “Study Korea” initiative, launched in 2005 and revamped in 2023, provides a useful benchmark. According to the Korean Ministry of Education’s 2024 statistics, the country hosted 210,000 international students in 2023—2.7 times Taiwan’s total—despite having a similar population (51 million vs. 23 million). South Korea’s top universities (Seoul National University, KAIST, POSTECH) rank significantly higher: SNU placed 31st in QS 2025, KAIST 53rd, and POSTECH 98th. Key differences include a higher proportion of English-taught programs (32% in South Korea vs. 18% in Taiwan) and a more aggressive scholarship model (average scholarship covers 70% of tuition vs. 45% in Taiwan).

Singapore’s National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University ranked 8th and 15th in QS 2025, respectively. Singapore’s international student ratio exceeds 25% for both institutions, supported by a bilingual education policy (English as the primary medium of instruction), streamlined visa processing (average 2 weeks vs. 6–8 weeks in Taiwan), and a government-funded “Tuition Grant” that reduces fees by 50% for international students who work in Singapore for three years post-graduation.

FAQ

Q1: Why do Taiwanese universities rank lower than South Korean universities despite similar research output?

Taiwan’s research output per capita is comparable to South Korea’s (2.5 papers per 1,000 population vs. 2.8 in South Korea in 2023, per NSTC data), but ranking methodologies weight internationalization metrics heavily. South Korea’s average international student ratio is 7.5% across its top 10 universities, while Taiwan’s is 6.4% across its top 10. More critically, South Korea’s top institutions have a higher proportion of international faculty (18% at SNU vs. 11.5% at NTU in 2024) and more Nobel laureate affiliations (15 vs. 2), which boost scores in ARWU and THE.

Q2: Can international students apply to Taiwanese universities without knowing Mandarin?

Yes, but options are limited. As of 2024, approximately 18% of undergraduate programs and 35% of graduate programs at national universities are taught entirely in English (MOE, 2024). NTU, NYCU, and NTHU offer the most English-taught programs, particularly in engineering, computer science, and business. Applicants must still provide proof of English proficiency (TOEFL iBT 80 or IELTS 6.5) and may need to take a Mandarin placement test upon arrival if they enroll in programs with a language component.

Q3: What is the average cost of tuition and living expenses for international students in Taiwan?

Tuition at national universities averages NT$100,000–NT$120,000 (US$3,100–US$3,700) per year for undergraduate programs, and NT$120,000–NT$150,000 (US$3,700–US$4,600) for graduate programs (MOE, 2024). Private universities charge approximately 1.5 times these amounts. Living expenses, including accommodation, food, and transportation, average NT$12,000–NT$18,000 (US$370–US$560) per month in Taipei, and 20–30% less in other cities. The government requires proof of NT$200,000 (US$6,200) in financial support per year for visa applications.

References

• Ministry of Education (Taiwan). 2024. Department of International and Cross-Strait Education Statistical Report.
• Times Higher Education. 2025. World University Rankings 2025.
• QS Quacquarelli Symonds. 2025. QS World University Rankings 2025.
• National Science and Technology Council (Taiwan). 2024. Taiwan Science and Technology Indicators Report.
• UNILINK Education. 2025. Asia-Pacific Cross-Border Enrollment Database.