Indicators of International Education Core Competencies
I. Introduction
The Indicators here below are formulated on the Four Dimensions established in the “White Paper 2.0 on International Education for Primary and Secondary Schools” (hereinafter referred to as “IE 2.0”) proposed by the Ministry of Education in 2020. The IE 2.0 already stipulates the Four Dimensions of the goal of Cultivating Global Citizen preparing students to become global citizens as follows:“Demonstrating national values,”“Respecting diverse cultures with international understanding,”“Strengthening international mobility,”and“Fulfilling the responsibilities of a global citizen.”Therefore, the school-based international education should be planned accordingly.
II. Indicators
The corresponding Core Competencies have been first developed in line with the Four Dimensions in the IE 2.0, as well as in combination with three elements of the competencies—namely, knowledge, skills, attitudes and values—and in consideration of cognitive developments at different educational stages. Consequently, the Indicators are compiled afterward based on the predefined Core Competencies.
Demonstrating national values
Students will develop an understanding of their national character, their nation's contributions to the world, as well as its level of international competitiveness, and the evaluation of their nation's performance in the global context; thus, they can build self-esteem and confidence in their own culture.
Respecting diverse cultures with international understanding
Students will recognize the diversity of world cultures to the extent of understanding, respecting, and appreciating the value of different cultures in the world. Furthermore, they will be able to put the concept of world peace into practice.
Strengthening international mobility
Students will acknowledge the importance of global competencies, especially those in foreign languages, inquiry skills, critical thinking, application of information communication technology (ICT), and cross-cultural communication so that they can put these skills into action and devote themselves to lifelong learning.
Fulfilling the responsibilities of a global citizen
Students will understand and respect universal human rights and moral responsibilities; they will also empathize with the plight and situation of the disadvantaged around the world, understand global sustainable development, and implement the principles of sustainability in daily life.
Core Competency 1：Demonstrating National Values
Students will develop an understanding of their national character, their nation's contributions to the world, as well as its level of international competitiveness, and the evaluation of their nation’s performance in the global context; thus, they can build self-esteem and confidence in their own culture.
Recognize national culture and its global status. Develop a sense of national identity, and demonstrate a basic understanding and a sense of belonging to one’s own culture.
Understand the developmental context of national culture and its relevance to global interactions. Build self-confidence in national culture and demonstrate a sense of national identity from a global perspective.
Think critically about issues related to national identity. Analyze the nation’s strengths and weaknesses in a global context, take responsibility as a citizen, and actively participate in developing national culture.
Core Competency 2: Respecting Cultural Diversity and International Understanding
Students will understand cultural diversity, respect different cultures, and apply the concept of world peace in real-life scenarios through cooperation and empathy.
Understand cultural diversity and demonstrate the willingness and ability to appreciate multicultural values. Develop skills in cooperating with and caring for multicultural groups.
Analyze the formation of cultural and international differences, and evaluate their benefits and challenges. Work with others across cultures to find common ground and solve problems.
Explore multicultural issues from a global perspective. Respect cultural differences and help resolve conflicts. Actively promote collaboration and world peace through multicultural cooperation.
Core Competency 3: Strengthening International Mobility
Students will acknowledge the significance of international mobility, develop foreign language abilities, digital skills, and cultivate independent, lifelong learning habits.
Understand cultural diversity and demonstrate the willingness and ability to appreciate multicultural values. Develop skills in cooperating with and caring for multicultural groups.Acquire basic language skills and develop abilities in using digital tools and intercultural communication. Gain motivation to explore global topics and develop strategies for problem-solving.
Understand the value of multilingualism and cross-cultural skills. Use communication strategies in global contexts and actively participate in international exchange activities.
Demonstrate the ability and willingness to engage in global exchanges. Master digital and information technologies, and use systematic methods to support international mobility.
Core Competency 4: Fulfilling the Responsibilities of a Global Citizen
Students will acknowledge the significance of international mobility, develop foreign language abilities, digital skills, and cultivate independent, lifelong learning habits.
Understand cultural diversity and demonstrate the willingness and ability to appreciate multicultural values. Develop skills in cooperating with and caring for multicultural groups.Acquire basic language skills and develop abilities in using digital tools and intercultural communication. Gain motivation to explore global topics and develop strategies for problem-solving.
Understand the value of multilingualism and cross-cultural skills. Use communication strategies in global contexts and actively participate in international exchange activities.
Demonstrate the ability and willingness to engage in global exchanges. Master digital and information technologies, and use systematic methods to support international mobility.
The elementary school emphasizes learning based on self-perception and experience. The main focuses include acknowledging, perceiving, and establishing methods. The junior high school is geared towards social connections and issues, and the main focuses are to understand context and process, cultivate a sense of respecting differences, and use a variety of inquiry methods aligned with skills. The upper secondary school emphasizes thinking critically about real-life scenarios and events, actively caring for injustices caused by differences, and developing action strategies. The content listed in each educational stage is the benchmark for reference, and a school is advised to adjust to its own context accordingly.
Educational Stage 1：Demonstrating national values
E1 Understand cultural characteristics of one’s own nation and other nations in the world.
E2 Develop a local identity with an international perspective.
E3 Possess the ability to express the characteristics of one’s own culture.
J1 Understand the relationship of development between one’s own nation and other nations in the world.
J2 Develop national awareness with an international perspective.
J3 Take actions aligned with the national values of one’s own nation.
U1 Understand the role and situation of one's own nation in international society from a historical context.
U2 Acknowledge one’s own responsibilities to the nation.
U3 Participate in the sustainable development of one’s own nation.
Educational Stage 2：Respecting diverse cultures with international understanding
E4 Understand the diversity of world cultures.
E5 Develop the willingness to learn about different cultures.
E6 Distinguish between characteristics of conflict and amity.
J4 Understand the situation of cross cultures and global coopetition.
J5 Respect and appreciate the values of different cultures in the world.
J6 Assess scenarios of conflict and propose solutions.
U4 Analyze the position of one’s nation in global coopetition.
U5 Acknowledge the importance of cross-cultural reflection.
U6 Propose an action plan and implement it in daily life to maintain world peace.
Core Competency 4: Fulfilling the Responsibilities of a Global Citizen
Students will acknowledge the significance of international mobility, develop foreign language abilities, digital skills, and cultivate independent, lifelong learning habits.
E7 Recognize different types of global competency.
E8 Recognize the importance of developing global competency.
E9 Participate in different types of international cultural activities.
J7 Understand the important content of cross-language and inquiry learning.
J8 Perceive the importance of foreign language acquisition and inquiry learning for the development of global competency.
J9 Utilize crosscultural communication skills to participate in international exchanges.
U7 Understand the multiple approaches of cross-language or inquiry learning.
U8 Self-reflect on the learning process and results of global competency.
U9 Communicate cross-culturally and engage in international collaboration.
Educational Stage 4：Fulfilling the responsibilities of a global citizen
E10 Recognize universal human rights and moral responsibilities.
E11 Empathize with the disadvantaged of the plight and situation in the world.
E12 Observe global issues and then develop daily action plans to manage them.
J10 Understand the philosophy of global sustainable development.
J11 Respect and protect the human rights and dignity of different cultural groups.
J12 Explore global issues and conceive local action plans for sustainable development.
U10 Identify action strategies for global sustainable development.
U11 Recognize the importance of the interdependence of the global community.
U12 Possess the ability to develop global issues solutions and evaluate their efficiency.
Suggested Domains of Integration
Integration of international education is an important element of the core competencies of the Curriculum Guidelines of 12-Year Basic Education. Therefore, it should be integrated into all domains/subjects to different degrees with various strategies.
Principles of Integration
Relevant courses, teaching materials, and teaching models can gradually be developed according to the curricular needs of each educational stage. School teachers are highly encouraged to integrate global issues, foreign languages, and cultural studies into their curricula to cultivate global talents who will demonstrate national values, respect diverse cultures with international understanding, strengthen international mobility, and fulfill the responsibilities of a global citizen.
Examples
International education issues can be integrated into one formal curriculum, either within a single subject or an interdisciplinary course. For instance, based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16 “Peace, justice and strong institutions,” one unit that discusses "Social Institutions" in the Social Studies can be integrated into the perspectives of cross-nation and global contexts to discuss different international cases, in order to develop an action-oriented international education curriculum.
Elementary and secondary schools can develop international education curricula that feature the school’s vision and characteristics. Schools can utilize an alternative curriculum that builds on certain IE issues as the core of the curriculum to achieve interdisciplinary learning. Research projects, issuebased inquiry, or hands-on/experimental, exploratory courses can be adopted to enhance students’ integration of global competency and daily life application. For example, a school may use “Sustainable Dining Table” as the school-based IE curriculum, integrating comprehensive domains of English, Social Studies, Science, and Integrative Activities. Students will be able to understand the food crisis in the global context through the reflection on the ideality and reality of international cooperation during the class and become encouraged to advocate food sustainability.
Curriculum Guidelines of 12-Year Basic Education- General
83646.pdf