Harvard University’s new summer study-abroad program in Taiwan, which aims to allow students to experience the local culture while improving their Chinese-language skills, has been postponed to summer 2023.

In October 2021, Harvard University decided to relocate its summer program in China, also known as Harvard Beijing Academy, from Beijing Language and Culture University to Taipei.

The new program, offered in collaboration with National Taiwan University (NTU) and known as Harvard Taipei Academy, was originally set to begin this summer.

NTU, however, said Saturday that the program has been pushed back in light of the current COVID-19 situation in Taiwan and its border control restrictions.

Yuan Hsiao-wei (???), NTU’s vice president for international affairs, said the program was now expected to begin in June 2023.

Yuan said that the study environment in Taiwan was attractive to young people from all over the world, hinting that other renowned schools from abroad had also expressed interest in sending students to NTU to study Chinese.

The Harvard program had initially intended to send a total of 60 students to NTU this summer on an eight-week Chinese-learning course.

According to the Harvard Division of Continuing Education’s (DCE) website, the Taipei program is building on the success of Harvard Beijing Academy and incorporates the same rigorous language curriculum while providing participants the opportunity to immerse in the dynamic and diverse society and culture of Taiwan.

In addition to language learning, the program also includes trips to famous local attractions such as the National Palace Museum, the Shilin Night Market, and Yangmingshan National Park, according to DCE.

NTU previously said it has been in talks with Harvard University on taking over the program since 2019. The program in Taipei was originally set to begin in 2020 but had been pushed back until 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel