With the trend of globalization and internationalization of higher education, more and more Taiwanese students are beginning to consider whether to choose international courses (such as IB, AP, A-Level, etc.) in high school in order to be more competitive when applying to international universities. At the same time, although competition among universities in Taiwan is fierce, there is still a gap between the academic environment and international standards. As a result, even if some students enter top universities, their international competitiveness after graduation is still difficult to match that of global talents. Therefore, whether choosing international courses in high school is more conducive to future development has become an issue of concern for many students and parents.

1. Advantages of choosing international courses in high school

Compared with the traditional school system, international courses have certain advantages in teaching content, assessment methods, and opportunities for further study, especially for students who aspire to study abroad.

1. High international recognition, helpful for overseas study

Currently, Taiwan’s general high school curriculum is mainly designed for academic tests and college entrance examinations, with content focusing on test-taking and less on cultivating students’ critical thinking and research abilities. International courses (such as IB, AP, and A-Level) are widely recognized by universities around the world. When students apply to prestigious international universities in Europe, America, and Asia, they can more directly meet admission standards and even obtain credit exemptions, reducing the pressure of taking courses.

2. Cultivate critical thinking and independent learning abilities

International courses emphasize students' independent thinking, research ability and practical application, unlike Taiwan's traditional education which places excessive emphasis on rote memorization. For example, the IB curriculum requires students to write a 4,000-word essay (EE). These trainings can help students adapt to the international learning model more quickly in college.

3. Improve English skills and adapt to the international environment

Students who choose international courses will be able to get used to the all-English learning environment during high school. Whether they are applying to international universities or entering the workplace in the future, they will be able to adapt to cross-border communication and academic environments more easily. In contrast, traditional high school students in Taiwan usually only start to receive all-English instruction in college, which takes a long time to adapt and makes them relatively less competitive.

4. More flexible learning methods and further study options

 International curricula typically allow students to choose subjects based on their interests, rather than having to take all subjects like in Taiwanese high schools. For example, IBDP students can choose five to six subjects to study in depth, and can choose relevant courses based on their future university major. This flexibility allows students to better develop their personal expertise and is in line with global higher education trends.

2. Admission to Taiwan universities is highly competitive, but there is still a gap in international competitiveness

1. Entering a top university does not mean you have international competitiveness

Competition for university admission in Taiwan is quite fierce, and top universities attract a large number of outstanding students every year. However, there is still a need to improve competitiveness in the international workplace or research field after graduation. For example:

• Many courses are still taught in Chinese, and students have fewer opportunities to be exposed to an all-English environment, resulting in insufficient language skills when seeking employment in international companies after graduation.
• Due to insufficient training in critical thinking and academic writing, Taiwanese students perform relatively poorly in international academic conferences or research competitions compared to their foreign counterparts.
• In the global university rankings, although Taiwan University has made progress in its academic research influence and industry-university collaboration, it is still difficult to compete with top universities in Europe, America or Asia (such as Harvard, Cambridge, the University of Tokyo, the National University of Singapore, etc.).

2. Some disciplines lag behind in international rankings, limiting career options for graduates

Although Taiwan's universities have world-class competitiveness in certain fields (such as semiconductor engineering and information technology), they are still difficult to compare with top international universities in areas such as law, finance, humanities and social sciences. For example, many multinational companies prefer to hire graduates with international degrees, especially in majors such as finance, law, and international relations that require a highly international perspective. This may become a disadvantage in the future workplace for students who have only received local education.

3. Study abroad experience is still a plus in the workplace and research

In order to improve their competitiveness in the workplace, many Taiwanese university graduates still choose to study abroad for a master's or doctoral degree. For example, many NTU graduates choose to apply to graduate schools in the United States, the United Kingdom, or Europe to gain more international academic and practical experience. Therefore, if you choose international courses in high school and directly apply to foreign universities, you can enter the international academic environment earlier and avoid facing the challenges of international adaptation when looking for a job or going to school in the future.

Conclusion: International courses have advantages, but Taiwan universities still need to strengthen their international competitiveness

Overall, high school students who choose international courses have relative advantages in terms of further education opportunities, learning methods, language skills and international competitiveness. In contrast, although competition in Taiwan’s universities is fierce, there is still a gap between overall academic and career development and those of top international institutions, resulting in limited competitiveness of graduates in the global market in the future even if they enter local prestigious universities.

Therefore, for students who hope to enter international universities and expand their global horizons, choosing international courses can not only enhance their competitiveness in further studies, but also enable them to adapt to the international academic and workplace environment earlier, laying a more solid foundation for future development.

The world is now open. Only by bravely choosing a global learning path can we truly stand on the international stage and embrace a broader future!

With the trend of globalization and internationalization of higher education, more and more Taiwanese students are beginning to consider whether to choose international courses (such as IB, AP, A-Level, etc.) in high school in order to be more competitive when applying to international universities. At the same time, although competition among universities in Taiwan is fierce, there is still a gap between the academic environment and international standards. As a result, even if some students enter top universities, their international competitiveness after graduation is still difficult to match that of global talents. Therefore, whether choosing international courses in high school is more conducive to future development has become an issue of concern for many students and parents.

1. Advantages of choosing international courses in high school

Compared with the traditional school system, international courses have certain advantages in teaching content, assessment methods, and opportunities for further study, especially for students who aspire to study abroad.

1. High international recognition, helpful for overseas study

Currently, Taiwan’s general high school curriculum is mainly designed for academic tests and college entrance examinations, with content focusing on test-taking and less on cultivating students’ critical thinking and research abilities. International courses (such as IB, AP, and A-Level) are widely recognized by universities around the world. When students apply to prestigious international universities in Europe, America, and Asia, they can more directly meet admission standards and even obtain credit exemptions, reducing the pressure of taking courses.

2. Cultivate critical thinking and independent learning abilities

International courses emphasize students' independent thinking, research ability and practical application, unlike Taiwan's traditional education which places excessive emphasis on rote memorization. For example, the IB curriculum requires students to write a 4,000-word essay (EE). These trainings can help students adapt to the international learning model more quickly in college.

3. Improve English skills and adapt to the international environment

Students who choose international courses will be able to get used to the all-English learning environment during high school. Whether they are applying to international universities or entering the workplace in the future, they will be able to adapt to cross-border communication and academic environments more easily. In contrast, traditional high school students in Taiwan usually only start to receive all-English instruction in college, which takes a long time to adapt and makes them relatively less competitive.

4. More flexible learning methods and further study options

 International curricula typically allow students to choose subjects based on their interests, rather than having to take all subjects like in Taiwanese high schools. For example, IBDP students can choose five to six subjects to study in depth, and can choose relevant courses based on their future university major. This flexibility allows students to better develop their personal expertise and is in line with global higher education trends.

2. Admission to Taiwan universities is highly competitive, but there is still a gap in international competitiveness

1. Entering a top university does not mean you have international competitiveness

Competition for university admission in Taiwan is quite fierce, and top universities attract a large number of outstanding students every year. However, there is still a need to improve competitiveness in the international workplace or research field after graduation. For example:

• Many courses are still taught in Chinese, and students have fewer opportunities to be exposed to an all-English environment, resulting in insufficient language skills when seeking employment in international companies after graduation.
• Due to insufficient training in critical thinking and academic writing, Taiwanese students perform relatively poorly in international academic conferences or research competitions compared to their foreign counterparts.
• In the global university rankings, although Taiwan University has made progress in its academic research influence and industry-university collaboration, it is still difficult to compete with top universities in Europe, America or Asia (such as Harvard, Cambridge, the University of Tokyo, the National University of Singapore, etc.).

2. Some disciplines lag behind in international rankings, limiting career options for graduates

Although Taiwan's universities have world-class competitiveness in certain fields (such as semiconductor engineering and information technology), they are still difficult to compare with top international universities in areas such as law, finance, humanities and social sciences. For example, many multinational companies prefer to hire graduates with international degrees, especially in majors such as finance, law, and international relations that require a highly international perspective. This may become a disadvantage in the future workplace for students who have only received local education.

3. Study abroad experience is still a plus in the workplace and research

In order to improve their competitiveness in the workplace, many Taiwanese university graduates still choose to study abroad for a master's or doctoral degree. For example, many NTU graduates choose to apply to graduate schools in the United States, the United Kingdom, or Europe to gain more international academic and practical experience. Therefore, if you choose international courses in high school and directly apply to foreign universities, you can enter the international academic environment earlier and avoid facing the challenges of international adaptation when looking for a job or going to school in the future.

Conclusion: International courses have advantages, but Taiwan universities still need to strengthen their international competitiveness

Overall, high school students who choose international courses have relative advantages in terms of further education opportunities, learning methods, language skills and international competitiveness. In contrast, although competition in Taiwan’s universities is fierce, there is still a gap between overall academic and career development and those of top international institutions, resulting in limited competitiveness of graduates in the global market in the future even if they enter local prestigious universities.

Therefore, for students who hope to enter international universities and expand their global horizons, choosing international courses can not only enhance their competitiveness in further studies, but also enable them to adapt to the international academic and workplace environment earlier, laying a more solid foundation for future development.

The world is now open. Only by bravely choosing a global learning path can we truly stand on the international stage and embrace a broader future!