A university partnership
To achieve the purpose of “global immersion,” Minerva selects cities that enjoy well-established infrastructure, dependable Internet connection, political stability, economic prosperity, and social diversity. Besides meeting these criteria, Taipei is one of the most important cities in the Chinese-speaking world. It is a worthy choice for the endpoint of Minerva’s grand tour.
Ben Nelson, Minerva’s founder and current CEO, invites his students to think about what constitutes Chinese culture during their time in Taiwan. Chinese is spoken both in Taiwan and in China, but the two countries have very different political systems and interact with the wider world differently. Another question worth pondering is this: both Taiwan and the US are known for “diversity,” but does diversity mean the same thing in Taiwan as in America?
Nelson came to Taiwan in February this year to visit a handful of local universities. He has noticed many communities devoted to education and commerce in Taipei, where society is characterized by a liberal and open mindset. Some Taiwanese universities with a reformist agenda have also expressed a wish to collaborate with Minerva.
NTU, Minerva’s partner this year, was at first only responsible for assisting the students with their visa applications, but executive vice president Chou Chiapei wanted to offer more than just administrative support. After a meeting with Minerva’s Taipei representative, NTU’s Office of International Affairs set about organizing immersive activities to help the students experience Taiwanese culture.
Chou, who is dedicated to promoting NTU’s international involvement, looks forward to further collaborating with Minerva in the future and gaining more insights from Minerva’s pedagogical emphasis on critical thinking. She encourages her students to get to know their Minerva peers at the co-curricular workshops and to observe how they ask and respond to questions. By interacting with people from various cultural and educational backgrounds, her students will attain a deeper understanding of cultural diversity. Ben Nelson’s vision for Minerva strikes a sympathetic chord with Chou: the aim of real education is to cultivate capabilities and thinking skills that will always stand one in good stead.
London, UK, is another of Minerva’s global cities. (photo by Jimmy Lin)
San Francisco, USA, is one of Minerva’s global cities. This photo shows the iconic Golden Gate Bridge.
The Minerva students invited President Tsai Ing-wen to speak at their online graduation ceremony. (YouTube screenshot)
The Minerva students were impressed by the Taiwanese people’s active participation in the presidential election of 2020. (photo by Kent Chuang)
Tatiana Soskina likes Taiwanese food, but at first she found it difficult to adapt to the culture of sharing dishes.
Eric Lin has relished the freedom of studying wherever he pleased in each of Minerva’s global cities, unconfined to any physical campus.
Liberty Pim learned from the workshop “Edible Care and Placemaking” that food can embody love. She was reminded of her mother’s cooking.