Paper short abstract:

University exchanges are a significant part of human resource issues relevant to the relationship between the PRC and Taiwan, and the relationship of both with the US.

Paper long abstract:

In Taiwan today many citizens think about what might be Taiwan's future in relation to the People's Republic of China. University exchanges are a significant part of human resource issues relevant to the relationship between the PRC and Taiwan, and the relationship of both with the US. The PRC officially considers Taiwan a province. One interesting development in "cross-straits relations" is an increase, still somewhat controversial in Taiwan, in higher education exchanges involving the mainland and Taiwan. This paper considers this development, and more generally triangular relationships in higher education exchanges among the PRC, Taiwan as a political entity, and the US (including many state governments within the US), and the effects of the triangle on Taiwan, the PRC, and US university cultures, as well as the broader human resources implications. The Taiwan Ministry of Education appears to anticipate continuing and increasing economic and cultural relations, including university exchanges, with Beijing and other parts of China. Those Taiwanese involved in higher education, like many other components of the Taiwanese political economy, appear to be increasingly accepting the idea that closer ties with the PRC are overwhelmingly likely. Such Taiwanese are sometimes resigned to what they consider neglect by US policy-makers and to the dominance of higher-education alliances between governments and individuals identified with the PRC and US, with Taiwan probably playing a lesser but still meaningful role in university exchanges when the PRC and US negotiate. What does all this mean for globalized universities and human resources issues?