On May 24 2024, an academic workshop was convened and chaired by Prof. Dr. Angela Yung-Chi Hou, Adjunct Research Fellow of HEEACT and Professor at the Department of Education, National Chengchi University. Dr. Ayaka Noda from National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education (NIAD-QE), Japan and Dr. Sheelagh Matear from Academic Quality Agency for New Zealand Universities (AQA), New Zealand were invited to share their insights into practices and experiences in higher education. Students from the Department of Education, National Chengchi University also participated.

The workshop focused on two main themes-- Global Trends in Higher Education, Quality Assurance and Qualifications Framework and Inclusion and Equity in the Diversification of Higher Education and Quality Assurance. Regarding the development of qualifications framework (QF), both scholars pointed out that it is crucial for the government and QA agencies to consider the needs and purposes of QF. The supporting measures developed by the government in creating a QF have played a significant role.

Regarding the issues of inclusion and equity in the diversification of higher education and quality assurance, Dr. Matear elaborated on the practices of inclusion and equity within HEIs in New Zealand and AQA. One of the examples would be that the composition of reviewers takes minority groups (Māori people) into consideration to ensure their rights and representation. Furthermore, Dr. Noda shared with us that the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan announced “Grand Design for Higher Education toward 2040” in 2018. They anticipated that the norm for global higher education by 2040 and listed a series of strategic plans in response to the visions, including ensuring diversity and flexibility in education and research systems, restructuring of quality assurance and information disclosure, sizes and locations of HEIs in light of the decline of the 18-year-old population and more.

The workshop facilitated a fruitful exchange of ideas among the participants, encompassing cases of practices from Japan and New Zealand. The insights shared during the workshop serve as valuable references for future research and development of strategies in higher education. Most importantly, suggestions were made for the future development of QF in Taiwan, as it is a step-by-step process that can begin by comparing and referencing the QF in other countries.