Jakarta: Eighty-six Indonesian students have been selected to study in Taiwan this year under two Ministry of Education scholarship programs, following a selection process that attracted more than 1,200 applicants. Taiwan's representative office in Indonesia held a pre-departure orientation Friday in Jakarta to brief the scholarship recipients on student visas, residence procedures, and campus life in Taiwan. According to Focus Taiwan, the orientation was held in person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, when the event had been moved online. This year's session was co-organized with BINUS University in Jakarta. Former recipients of the two scholarships-the Taiwan Scholarship program, which supports undergraduate, master's, and doctoral studies, and the Huayu Enrichment Scholarship, which provides funding for one year of Mandarin-language study-were also invited to share their experiences. Taiwan's representative to Indonesia, Bruce Hung, stated that more than 19,000 Indonesian students are curr ently studying in Taiwan, making Indonesia the second-largest source of international students after Vietnam. He emphasized Taiwan's role in the global artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor supply chains and encouraged the students to learn about Taiwan's tech sector during their studies. BINUS University President Dr. Nelly, S. Kom expressed in a prerecorded video the university's eagerness to expand academic cooperation and exchanges with Taiwanese institutions. University Vice President Rini Setiowati represented the school at the event. Among the alumni sharing their experiences was Hansen, a 2024 Huayu Enrichment Scholarship recipient who studied Mandarin at Tamkang University's Chinese Language Center. Hansen highlighted the value of Mandarin proficiency in his career, attributing his improved language skills and career prospects to his time in Taiwan. Sofia, a 2022 Taiwan Scholarship recipient who earned a master's degree from National Cheng Kung University, shared how studying in Taiwan bro adened her international outlook. She encouraged the new recipients to embrace opportunities for learning, friendship, and personal growth.