In order to encourage overseas youth to study in Taiwan, learn about Taiwanese culture, higher education and technical and vocational programs, and the latest technological advancements, the Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) is utilizing digital technology to provide online courses in the Metaverse to expand its services to youth abroad. The 2022 Overseas Community Affair Council's Online Overseas Youth Camp is open for registration now!

Every year, the OCAC organizes study programs in Taiwan that attract overseas youth to participate. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, 720-degree panoramic VR technology was used for the first time to conduct online camps so overseas youth could view Taiwan's beautiful landscape and industrial technology from their homes. This year, in order to allow even more students to have the experience, the OCAC is offering three tailored courses from August 6th to October 8th. All online courses will be taught through video lectures, and feature a technological topic that has taken the world by storm—the Metaverse. The contents of the program include:

• A Metaverse Concepts and Applications course
• Using Avatars (virtual characters) for live streaming
• Visiting companies related to Metaverse Learning
• Immersing yourself in the virtual world through Metaverse products

At the same time, the camp will have a dedicated Metaverse classroom, allowing students to roam freely throughout the virtual space using their avatars. This space will be used to discuss course content and publish their results with classmates.

The content covered at this year's online camp will be rich and diverse, introducing Taiwan in an out-of-the-box way by a travel expert. Students will be able to learn about geography, politics, science and technology, education, culture, and much more to dive deep into Taiwan. There will also be a chance to study Taiwanese, funny slang stories, and Taiwanese song in this program. In addition, there will also be school tours, which include:

• Industry-Academia Cooperation Program for Overseas Compatriots
• Overseas Youth Vocational Training Program "Two-Year Associate Degree Course" newly launched this year
• Universities and Colleges
• Universities of Science and Technology

This will give students a better understanding of the different types of schools in Taiwan, helping them to apply for schools later on. The cultural tour will use videos and study sheets to guide you through five cultural attractions in Taiwan that combine natural ecology, society, and festivals, such as the Luye Hot Air Balloon Festival, Taroko National Park, Yehliu Geopark, Tainan Confucius Temple, and Mengka Bopiliao Old Street.

In addition, there will be special courses on Taiwan's high-tech and cultural and creative industries that explore issues of international concern, such as AIOT and environment sustainable development. The camp will also offer an online challenge game designed to entertain and teach.

To serve youth around the world, this online camp will have online teaching assistants for Mandarin, English, Vietnamese, Thai, and Indonesian. Further information in these languages will be provided on the camp website to assist students in experiencing all parts of these wonderful camp courses. During the camp, a contest will be held to encourage students to post pictures, videos, or text and share their online camp experience on their Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. The post with the most likes or shares will win the award for Most Popular Post along with other prizes. Students who attend 80% of the concurrent courses will be awarded a certificate of completion in both Mandarin and English.

The schedule of each batch is as follows:
• Batch 1: New Southbound Region Special Class
• 2022/8/6 – 2022/10/8, a total of 10 weeks/20 hours.
• (Taiwan time every Saturday from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
• Batch 2: Global Intensive Class
• 2022/8/8 – 2022/8/19, a total of 2 weeks/20 hours
• (Morning class: 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Taiwan time)
• (Afternoon class: 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Taiwan time)
• Batch 3: Global Weekend Class (Saturday and Sunday)
• 2022/8/20~2022/9/18, a total of 5 weeks/20 hours
• (Morning class: 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Taiwan time)
• (Afternoon class: 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Taiwan time)

For those between the ages of 16 and 25 (based on the date of birth as stated on your passport), your age will be calculated at the state date of registration for the camp. As long as you have a foreign passport or Overseas Compatriot Identity Endorsement, you are able to sign up. For more details about admissions and the application form, please contact overseas units, the Overseas Chinese Cultural and Educational Service Center of the Overseas Community Affairs Council, or download it here from the Overseas Community Affairs Council's website.

https://www.ocac.gov.tw/OCAC/Pages/VDetail.aspx?nodeid=6122&pid=40562892Students who do not have an I-Compatriot Card or Overseas Compatriot Card, please go to the following website and click "OCC Apply Online." Once you successfully apply for an OCC, you can complete the registration for the 2022 Online Overseas Youth Camp!https://www.ocacocc.net/cht/index.php?act=card_signup

Registration is open now. It will close when it has reached the maximum number of applicants. Please seize this opportunity to register as soon as possible! Come join us for an amazing Metaverse learning journey!

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