Global Technology Institute Program – Taiwan 2025

Students in Taiwan

Description of Program

In 2004, the 91ΑΤΖζ Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering established a $1 million Global Technology Initiative, with the mission of giving 91ΑΤΖζ students a global perspective on technology and business developments. Its goal is to expand students’ horizons about the opportunities and challenges of a global economy, to expose them to global environmental and energy problems in which technology plays a central role, and to motivate their learning of global issues and different cultures.

In Summer 2025, GTI will be going to in Taoyuan City, Taiwan (close to Taipei). Students will be able to choose either a more technical program (International Industrial/Academic Leadership Experience Program – II/ALE) or a more business and entrepreneurship-focused program (International Innovation/Entrepreneur Leadership Experience Program- II/ELE). Dates for 2025 have not been published yet but likely will be June 30 – July 18. Programs will be run in English.

The programs include lectures, projects, field trips, and a cultural trip. Accommodations are in the dorms. The program has been going on for 19 years and so is well organized.

For more information, you can check out a video about the . And there is information about 91ΑΤΖζ’s 2014 participation in this program. 

Application Procedure 

Approximately 10-15 participants will be selected through the following application process.

To apply, the following items must be completed and submitted by Friday, November 1, 2024 at 5 PM:

  • Submission of transcript(s) for all college coursework (including at 91ΑΤΖζ). Note: Transcript(s) must include grades earned through Summer 2024. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. The transcripts should be uploaded along with your application. If your coursework from other schools shows on My91ΑΤΖζ, you can submit the β€œTransfer Credit” section of My91ΑΤΖζ instead of transcripts for the other schools if you prefer.
  • After the review of applications, a pool of semifinalists will be notified and invited to an interview for the final selection. The interviews will be conducted November 18-22, 2024.
  • Final selection will be made on or before December 6, 2024.

Participant Selection Criteria

Applicants will be selected based on how they and the College of Engineering can benefit from their participation in this program, and how they can help achieve the mission of GTI. Participant selection will be a complex process; selection criteria includes, but are not limited to:

  • Grade-point average (GPA)
  • Service to 91ΑΤΖζ student organizations or non-91ΑΤΖζ community organizations, highlighting past and current leadership positions
  • Communication and interpersonal skills, including those demonstrated during the semifinalist interview
  • Potential for significant learning about globalization and entrepreneurship

Minimum Eligibility Requirements to Apply

  1. The applicant must be a matriculated undergraduate student at 91ΑΤΖζ in the College of Engineering. Students must have junior or senior standing (at least 60 earned semester credits at time of application)
  2. Graduate students, transitory students, open-university students and alumni are not eligible.
  3. Graduation date must not be earlier than December 2025.
  4. Students must have a minimum 2.5 GPA, both at 91ΑΤΖζ and overall.
  5. Student must be willing to enroll in Engr 180 in Spring 2025 (1 unit, 8-9 am on Friday; mostly virtual with a few in-person meetings). This course will come with a $600 fee to offset costs.

Travel expense

The College of Engineering will pay for airfare, program fee (which includes tuition, accommodations, program-related transportation, most food, and fees for the cultural tours), a $100 fee for arranging events, and 91ΑΤΖζ’s required insurance. The course fee of $600 will be used to offset the program’s cost. 

Students who drop out after 4/1/25 are responsible for any nonrefundable fees that the university incurs unless there is an unavoidable emergency, such as a serious health issue.  The $600 course fee is not refundable and will be used to offset any non-refundable fees incurred.

Spring Term Course Requirement

Selected participants will be required to register for a one-unit course – Engr 180 in Spring 2025. The class will meet online 8:00 am to 8:50 am on Fridays with most sessions remote and a few in person. There will be a $600 course fee associated with this class to defray trip expenses, so be sure that you are committed to the program before registering.

Attendance Requirements

  • Selected participants are required to attend all Engr 180 classes, as well as the activities scheduled for pre-trip and post-trip to Taiwan. Other mandatory debriefing activities and tasks will be specified and scheduled in due course.
  • Anyone missing any two scheduled meetings without a documented emergency will be dropped from the program.

Required Travel Documents

Participants will be required to secure their own passports immediately after notification of their selection. Obtaining a passport takes approximately 10-13 weeks once submitted (7-9 weeks if expedited). Failure to obtain the necessary passport by April 1, 2025 will result in disqualification for the trip. Any non-US citizens will need to ensure that they have the proper paperwork so they can return to the US following the trip. 

Note that if your passport expiration date is sooner than six months from your date of arrival, some countries will not admit you. For Taiwan this requirement is in place only if you plan to stay longer than 90 days, but to be safe it’s good to renew your passport before your trip if it will be expiring within six months of arrival. A visa is not required unless you plan to stay longer than 90 days or plan to work or reside in Taiwan.

Updated travel information about . Taiwan has no vaccination requirements but recommends vaccination against Hepatitis A.

Insurance Requirements

Participants are required to have insurance. Our Risk Management office provides insurance covering medical, property, and repatriation which will cost about $75, which will be covered by the GTI program. 

University Liability Waiver

The applicant must agree to sign a waiver form releasing San Jose State University and California State University from all possible liability claims.

Required Student Code of Conduct

  • Participants will be expected to behave as representatives of the 91ΑΤΖζ and the U.S.
  • Participants are required to meet all deadlines set by the GTI Director. Failure to submit paperwork in a timely manner might result in your disqualification from the GTI study tour.
  • Proper student conduct applicable to on-campus activities are applicable and observed throughout the GTI program. Violators will be disciplined upon return to campus. See "S16-15, University Policy, Student Rights and Responsibilities" for details about acceptable 91ΑΤΖζ student conduct.
  • 91ΑΤΖζ Students are subject to the rules of the Student Conduct Code. 91ΑΤΖζ Student Conduct Code applies to all students whether on the 91ΑΤΖζ campus or in the greater community. If your behavior on the trip violates the Student Conduct Code, you might be subject to disciplinary action.
  • All participants will be required to observe local laws and customs.
  • Violators will be disciplined upon return to campus.
  • No relatives or friends may accompany the participants during any portion of the trip.
  • All participants will begin the trip at the designated location in the U.S. as a group. They will stay with the group throughout the trip, except that they may leave the group at the conclusion of all site visits of the study tour.

Important Dates 

Application Deadline: Friday, November 1, 2024, 5:00 pm
Semi-Finalist Notified: Friday, November 15, 2024
Interviews: November 18-22, 2024
GTI students Notified: On or before December 6, 2024
First day of Spring 2025 course: Friday, January 24, 2025

any questions contact Richard Chung (Richard.Chung@sjsu.edu) or Nicole Okamoto (Nicole.Okamoto@sjsu.edu)