Important Announcement
Introduction
Background
In response to the global trend toward internationalization in education and the growing demand for Mandarin Chinese learning, National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU) began planning the establishment of the Mandarin Learning and Education Center (MLEC) under the Center for General Education in 2013. On August 1, 2024, the Center was reorganized under the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
The Mandarin Learning and Education Center is dedicated to promoting Mandarin Chinese language education and introducing traditional Chinese culture and Taiwan’s distinctive maritime culture, with the aim of fostering international cultural and academic exchange.
The Center’s primary mission is to provide NTOU international students, exchange students, and members of the wider community with a high-quality environment for learning Mandarin Chinese. In alignment with the Ministry of Education’s policy on the internationalization of higher education, the Center also seeks to make full use of NTOU’s campus resources, faculty expertise, and facilities to strengthen the University’s international engagement.
Building on NTOU’s distinctive strengths in marine science, technology, and culture, the Center aims to develop Mandarin Chinese education with unique maritime characteristics, establish a high-quality Mandarin learning environment in the Taipei–Keelung region, and enhance Taiwan’s competitiveness in the international Mandarin Chinese education market.
Course Categories and Features
The Center offers Mandarin Chinese courses primarily for international degree students, including credit-bearing Mandarin courses as well as non-credit professional development programs. Programs such as the Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language Teacher Training Program are designed to cultivate and prepare qualified future Mandarin Chinese instructors.
Credit-bearing Mandarin courses include the required Mandarin Chinese for International Students I–VI, as well as elective courses such as Maritime Mandarin Chinese, Mandarin Chinese for Science and Technology, Exploring Chinese Culture, and Chinese Society and Intercultural Communication.
The Center also regularly organizes a variety of intercultural lectures and experiential activities, including the Craftsmanship and Cultural Professions Lecture Series, company visits, and workshops centered on major traditional festivals in Taiwan, such as Learning Mandarin through Spring Roll Making for the Qingming Festival, Learning Mandarin through Mooncake Making for the Mid-Autumn Festival, and Learning Mandarin through Tangyuan Making for the Winter Solstice.
The Center actively engages with the local community by encouraging international students to participate in one-on-one conversations with senior volunteers in Keelung. These interactions help students strengthen their everyday Mandarin communication skills while gaining exposure to local dialects and expressions.
Learning also extends beyond the classroom. Through activities such as the NTOU Campus Kayaking Workshop, Badouzi Fishing Village Cultural Tour and Hand-Dyeing Workshop, and Keelung Ghost Festival Cultural and Historical Walking Tour, the Center integrates mobile and experiential learning with NTOU’s distinctive marine leisure and sports resources. By connecting classroom instruction with real-world learning experiences, these activities deepen students’ language proficiency and cultural understanding, allowing them to explore Taiwan from its mountains to its seas.
Faculty
The Mandarin Learning and Education Center under the College of Humanities and Social Sciences currently has one full-time professor, one adjunct assistant professor, and three adjunct lecturers. All faculty members hold master’s or doctoral degrees in Teaching Chinese as a Second/Foreign Language and possess the Ministry of Education Certificate of Qualification to Teach Mandarin Chinese as a Second/Foreign Language. They are responsible for teaching credit-bearing Mandarin Chinese courses for international degree students across the University. The Center also employs one technical professional instructor.
Since its establishment, the Center has functioned as an academic teaching unit. Full-time faculty members are appointed in accordance with the Teachers’ Act and the Act Governing the Appointment of Educators. Adjunct faculty members are appointed pursuant to the Regulations Governing the Employment of Part-time Teachers at Junior Colleges and Institutions of Higher Education, with recruitment and appointment procedures conducted in accordance with the relevant regulations of National Taiwan Ocean University governing newly appointed faculty members, teaching assistants, and researchers.
The Center also operates a Mandarin Language Partner Program, which provides international students with one-on-one Mandarin practice outside the classroom to enhance their language-learning effectiveness. In addition, the Center’s faculty have extensive experience in Mandarin Chinese instruction and possess in-depth professional expertise in the Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL), including test preparation and learner support.
Teaching Facilities
With years of experience in advancing campus internationalization, National Taiwan Ocean University provides a diverse range of well-equipped learning spaces, including language classrooms, fully digital classrooms, multimedia classrooms, and distance-learning classrooms, to support a variety of teaching and learning needs.
The University has also established multi-purpose classrooms in the Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and General Building. Seating arrangements can be flexibly adjusted according to instructional needs, and the classrooms are equipped with smart teaching technologies. These facilities enable flexible instruction, facilitate interaction between instructors and students, and help enhance students’ motivation to learn Mandarin Chinese.
Future Development
The Mandarin Learning and Education Center at National Taiwan Ocean University offers a diverse range of Mandarin language and cultural courses. By integrating the University’s academic expertise with regional cultural resources, the Center aims to develop Mandarin education characterized by NTOU’s distinctive strengths in marine science, technology, and culture, while further promoting Mandarin courses for marine-related professional and academic contexts.
In response to globalization and in support of the University’s internationalization strategy, the Center is committed not only to enhancing international students’ Mandarin proficiency and learning outcomes, but also to encouraging both local and international students to pursue advanced Mandarin language and cultural courses alongside their professional studies. Through these efforts, the Center seeks to foster greater intercultural competence and prepare students to engage confidently with the global community.
Campus Environment
National Taiwan Ocean University is located near the border of Keelung City and New Taipei City, approximately a 40-minute drive from the Taipei metropolitan area. Surrounded by mountains and facing the sea, the University offers a scenic campus environment and is conveniently located near well-known cultural and tourist attractions, including the National Museum of Marine Science and Technology, Jiufen, Jinguashi, and Heping Island.
With its distinctive academic strengths in marine-related teaching and research, NTOU provides students with opportunities to learn Mandarin Chinese not only in the classroom but also through direct engagement with Keelung’s unique maritime culture. By extending language learning into real-life settings, students can enhance their communication and interpersonal skills while experiencing Mandarin Chinese in diverse and authentic contexts.
Living Facilities
National Taiwan Ocean University provides international student housing, with additional dormitory spaces reserved for international students. These arrangements ensure convenient and comfortable accommodation for overseas students and learners who come to NTOU to study Mandarin Chinese.
The University also actively encourages international students to participate in sports activities and student clubs, helping newly arrived students adapt quickly to campus life, build connections with the University community, and strengthen their Mandarin language skills through everyday interaction and engagement.