Medium-Term Plan for International Education in Primary and Secondary Schools

( Central Alberta / Emily Rogers)Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools (RDCRS) has signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Education Department of the New Taipei City Government in Taiwan.  

The MOU builds on a four-year-old partnership with Taichung, Hui-Wen High School, and other schools in Taiwan.   

Under the MOU, RDCRS will welcome grade 10 students from schools in New Taipei City to the 2+1 program.   

The students will take two online English courses in Taipei before transferring to the City of Red Deer for their grade 12 year.   

Upon successful completion of the program, students will graduate with an Alberta High School Diploma and a diploma from their school in Taiwan.   

“Red Deer Catholic International has really enjoyed welcoming the students from Taiwan to study with us. The students are hard-working and respectful, and they fit right in with our people and our culture. The community is grateful for the friendly and caring nature of our students in Taiwan which allows them to connect easily with our students and together are generating greater cultural awareness,” said Patricia MacRae-Pasula, Managing Director of Red Deer Catholic International.  

Taiwanese students who have previously completed the 2+1 program have gone on to attend universities in Canada, including the University of Toronto, McMaster University, the University of Alberta, the University of British Columbia, and abroad.  

“We stepped out of our country and discovered that differences are good.  We expanded our horizons and learned that people here are kind, respectful, and caring. We also grew in independence and have become more confident. We are excited about our opportunities to study at the University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia,” said current Taiwanese students En-Yu (Annie) Liu & Yu-Hsuan (Mischa) Lai.  

The new MOU was signed by representatives from Global Ed British Columbia, the Ontario Educational Communications Authority, and Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools on April 29.  

The MOU will be valid until Dec. 31, 2029.  

"Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools is thrilled to be working alongside the New Taipei City Government and schools in Taiwan. We're looking forward to partnering with even more schools in Taiwan and helping more students enjoy and benefit from the Alberta education system. It's been great seeing Taiwanese students thrive in our schools," said Dr. Kathleen Finnigan, Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools Superintendent.