▎GLOBAL OUTLOOK

National Taiwan University proudly hosted the 22nd International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL) this July—the first time the prestigious event has been held in Taiwan. As one of the 12 recognized International Science Olympiads for secondary school students worldwide, the IOL has, since its founding in 2003, brought together the brightest young minds from over 40 countries. The competition challenges participants to solve complex problems through linguistic analysis and logical reasoning, fostering abstract thinking, problem-solving skills, and a passion for language science.

With global interest in linguistics and its applications on the rise, more and more countries are investing in linguistics education to cultivate cross-disciplinary talent—individuals who combine humanistic insight with mathematical and logical rigor.

This year’s competition, organized by the NTU College of Liberal Arts, Graduate Institute of Linguistics, welcomed 57 teams from 43 countries. For one week, starting July 20, NTU’s campus became the stage for an intense intellectual exchange that bridged languages, cultures, and continents.

It was also Taiwan’s tenth year participating in the IOL. Following a rigorous national selection process and intensive training, eight students represented Taiwan, led by Professor Shukai Hsieh (Graduate Institute of Linguistics, NTU) and Associate Professor Jane Shihui Kuo (Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, NTU).

Taiwan’s performance this year was nothing short of historic. In the individual competition, the team brought home two silver medals, five bronze medals, and one Best Solution Award. In the team competition, the Taiwan Blue Magpie Team clinched the gold medal, while the Taiwan Formosan Black Bear Team earned silver—setting a new record for Taiwan’s IOL achievements. These results are a testament to the strength of Taiwan’s linguistics education and NTU’s leadership in nurturing world-class, cross-disciplinary talent.