In April 2025, Principal Linda Lee and Deputy Director (Admin Ops) Mike Lam visited Taiwan to gain deeper insights into both local and international schools. The trip focused on understanding Taiwan’s educational landscape and exploring potential student recruitment opportunities for HCIS.
Visit to New Taipei City Shenkeng Elementary School – 25 April
At New Taipei City Shenkeng Elementary School, the Principal provided a comprehensive overview of Taiwan’s education system. Notably, Taiwan offers multiple pathways to university without a major national examination. Students can choose between academic and technical tracks based on their interests and aptitudes. A particularly striking observation was the sizable home-schooling community across the country.
The Ministry of Education promotes a practical and inclusive approach to lifelong learning. Elementary schools, such as Shenkeng, serve as key community hubs by hosting adult education classes during evenings and weekends. This reinforces the school’s role as a central pillar of neighbourhood life and learning.
Visit to New Taipei City Shenkeng Junior High School
At Shenkeng Junior High School, the team learned that Taiwan’s national curriculum is designed to provide holistic education, balancing academic learning with character development. Schools are encouraged to create school-based courses tailored to their unique community needs. For students less inclined towards academics, the technical track offers options such as Food and Beverage, Woodwork, and Handicrafts. Students are hands-on in building items like tables, ladder-chairs, pushcarts, and even ukuleles. The school also boasts its own kiln for pottery work, reflecting a strong emphasis on creative and practical skills.
(Left) Principal Linda Lee with Principal Lee Chun Fang of New Taipei City Shenkeng Elementary School
(Right) With Prof Ean Chen an alumnus of Shenkeng School (right of Principal Linda), both principals, Mike and our Taiwan agent representatives
(Left) Food and beverage school kitchen
(Right)The group visited Lee Chien-Ying Principal of New Taipei City Shenkeng Junior High School
(Left) Handmade ukeleles by the students in the woodworks class
(Right) Staff and teachers encouraging Grade 9 students with props and candid backdrops as they embark on the highly stressful national exam period
Visit to Taipei European School (TES)
The HCIS team also visited Taipei European School (TES), located in the Shilin District. TES integrates the British, German, and French national curricula under a shared administrative and infrastructural framework. Originally established in the 1990s as separate institutions for expatriate families — Taipei British School (TBS), École Française de Taipei (EFT), and Deutsche Schule Taipei (DST) — the schools now share a common campus and resources while maintaining their distinct educational systems. With more than 1,800 students from over 57 countries, TES is a vibrant and diverse learning community.
(Left) Principal Linda Lee and Mr Mike Lam at Taipei European School with Ian Stewart, IBDP Coordinator and H4 Year Dean
(Right) Info Session meet up with Taiwan media industry practitioners, Director Wesley Ko (left, in black) and Chief Content Officer Tung I-Ning (in red) and our Taiwan agent representatives
During the Taipei leg of the visit, the team held an informal information session with seven prospective parents. This session provided an excellent opportunity to address questions and build rapport. Additionally, the team engaged with a Taipei-based production house connected to local celebrities, who expressed interest in Singapore-based education options for their children.
Kaohsiung Outreach
The team then embarked on a day trip to Kaohsiung, where Principal Lee conducted another information session for a group of interested parents. The team also met with the Chairperson of the Kaohsiung Tuition Association, which oversees approximately 2,000 agencies. The Chairperson shared insights into a growing trend: increasing numbers of parents are looking to send their children overseas for English-medium education at a younger age. Preliminary discussions were held regarding HCIS’s potential participation in the Association’s Education Fair scheduled for October 2025.
Visit to Kang Chiao International School, Hsinchu – 28 April
(Left) Seminar for prospective families in Kaohsiung
(Right) Understanding the Taiwan education scene and exploring collaboration with Debbie Wang, Chairperson of the Kaohsiung Tuition Association who runs her own language center and overseas study agency
On 28 April, the team visited Kang Chiao International School (KCIS) in Hsinchu — a bilingual and international K–12 institution operating campuses in both Taiwan and mainland China. This visit reciprocated KCIS’s earlier visit to HCIS in January 2024.
The team was especially impressed by KCIS’s character education programmes. For instance, all Grade 6 students take part in a physically demanding mountain climbing expedition up Xueshan (Snow Mountain), which rises to 3,201 meters. Preparations include six pre-hike training sessions, long-distance runs, and stair climbing with added weight to build physical and mental endurance. The program integrates the “Leave No Trace” (LNT) environmental philosophy, instilling respect for nature while promoting resilience and leadership.
In Grade 9, students complete a swim across Taiwan’s iconic Sun Moon Lake — a rite of passage that embodies the school’s commitment to holistic education and personal growth. These experiential learning activities reflect KCIS’s emphasis on cultivating willpower, self-confidence, and a strong sense of purpose.
(Left) Principal Linda Lee exchanging gifts with Ms Yang Meiling, Principal of Kang Chiao International School (Hsinchu campus)
(Right)Principal Yang, Principal Linda Lee and Mike Lam with Ms Helen Lin, Deputy Coordinator (extreme left), Ms Jennifer, Director (2nd from left) and Ray Harpster(extreme right) Deputy Director, all from the International Department.
Conclusion
This visit offered invaluable insights into Taiwan’s flexible and diverse educational system, and revealed significant interest among Taiwanese parents in overseas education — particularly in English-speaking environments. The team successfully deepened relationships with local institutions and agencies, laying the groundwork for future collaboration, student recruitment, and exchange opportunities. We are optimistic about the potential for HCIS to establish a meaningful presence in the Taiwan education landscape.