Page 493 - 2020新世代·新需求：臺灣教育發展的挑戰研討會

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研討會論文集

mobility patterns of students and researchers in East Asian region. We have seen
more ‘horizontal mobility’ of overseas students and short-term stay in wider Asian

region rather than permanent emigration into Western countries (Chan, 2012). It
is true that on the basis of current talent policy and internationalization strategies
adopted, more students in developing countries particularly southeast Asia are
losing to East Asian societies such as Singapore, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. At the

same time, highly skilled workforce has been draw to this region as a result of the
provision of higher salary, better living environment, and excellent teaching and
research infrastructure (such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan). In other words,
main sources of overseas students or talents in East Asian come from Asia itself,

particularly from Southeast and South Asia, due to geographic proximity. Judging
from this phenomenon, it seems to coincide with the accusation of ‘robbing talent’
from their neighboring societies (Altbach, 2013). However, there are some varying
developments requiring additional attention.

First, as argued, the nature of ‘horizontal’ mobility in East Asia, more outflow
students, researchers or talents tend to choose ‘temporary’ mobility. Though
more students and talent are attracted to receive education, training or even
seek employment in this region, they don’t really plan to stay for a long time as

permanent resident or becoming a citizenship. The main motivations to be mobile
are related to access to better education, cutting-edge knowledge and learning
industrial experiences (sometime for higher salary). Couple years later, they may
change to other countries in this region or Western societies for different purposes.

Alternatively, some of them choose to return to home country for family reasons
or better career opportunity as a result of these experiences. In this sense, East
Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore or China act as ‘relay
station’ where foreign talents do not permanently settle. Instead these societies

provide learning experiences and offer relevant environments for ‘exercising their

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