Future development
Taiwan has experienced an increase in ethnic and cultural diversity because of the immigration boom consisting of foreign spouses and foreign workers from Southeast Asia over the past few decades. While the mass media has reported the conflicts and misunderstanding in such a culturally divided society, it highlights the needs to promote the learning of cross-cultural understanding and communication in higher education of Taiwan. In addition, in the era of globalization, it is vital to develop students’ capability to communicate ideas across different cultures and social groups. However, test-driven language education, which is dominated by the teaching of discrete-point tests of language knowledge, will not be able to prepare students to become professionals with global mobility and international competiveness.
Therefore, the purpose of higher education is not only expected to deliver professional knowledge. It is also to foster students’ appreciation of cultural diversity and to hone their communication abilities, which are fundamental for future self-learning, for critical thinking, for interacting, and for boosting international as well as cultural mobility. An essential thread for all the abilities is the ability to execute intercultural communication in English. Thus, we affirm the core mission of English education in higher education is to develop students’ intercultural communication competence and to prepare students to become world citizens, while improving their levels of English proficiency.
Considering all of the above factors, the teaching philosophy of the Language Center is reflected in the following statements:
1. To develop students’ multicultural awareness and intercultural communicative competence
2. To enhance students' academic and professional communication skills in the English language
3. To cultivate students’ global awareness and an understanding of other cultures
4. To foster students’ capacity to cooperate and communicate internationally
In addition, the Language Center is committed to develop and reform fundamental and professional English curriculum, to offer English courses for academic and professional purposes, and to integrate platforms for international cooperation. Our English courses are designed to cultivate students’ three concepts and five abilities. The three concepts include: forming a positive cultural identity, developing the respect for cultural diversity, and fostering intercultural communication; the five abilities to develop include professional knowledge, communication ability in English, systematic learning, critical thinking, and interpersonal communication. Based upon the philosophy, the ultimate goal of the TMU Language Center is to provide the global market with its interdisciplinary, biomedical professionals.
