The Change of Dispatch Policy for Sending Students Abroad in Postwar Taiwan <NOTES>

The issue of policies relating to international students has been widely discussed in academic studies over the past two decades. Much attention has been paid to the 'acceptance policy', however, the 'dispatch policy' for sending students abroad remains largely unexplored. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to report on an investigation of the policy for sending students abroad, i.e., changes made to the dispatch policy. Answers were sought to the following questions: For what purpose does the government send students to study abroad? What outcomes are expected by those sending students abroad? This study focuses on the process of change to Taiwan's policy on sending students abroad following the shift of the nationalist government from mainland China to Taiwan. The policies are categorized in order to ascertain what is expected when sending students abroad on the part of the Taiwanese government. The main finding suggests that Taiwan's dispatch policy on sending students abroad should be divided into three parts: (a) the construction phase (1954~1989), (b) promotion of academic exchange (1999~2000), and (c) promotion of specific talent development (2001~). It was found that the change in the number of students studying abroad correlated highly with the policy revision that occurred during the construction phase (a). It should be noted that in Taiwan financial support will not provide the sole incentive to encourage studying abroad; for example, providing social support to international students who are seeking work, is also essential. Finally, preliminary research into changes in the dispatch policy during Taiwan's postwar period is being undertaken, but further study still needs to be done in relation to the dispatch policy; for example, what should Taiwanese students expect from the host country when studying abroad