Myo Myint Maung selected for New Southbound Policy Elite Study Program

Myo Myint Maung Maung, rising fourth-year student at Parami University

Parami University rising fourth-year student Myo Myint Maung Maung has been accepted into the highly competitive New Southbound Policy Elite Study Program, a five-month international study and field-immersion program in Taiwan, running from September 2026 to January 2027. 

Sponsored by Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the fully funded program brings together students from South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia. Participants will study at National Quemoy University while taking part in university coursework, Mandarin language training, cultural activities, and field experiences.

The program focuses on people-centered diplomacy and academic exchange with partner countries in South and Southeast Asia. Myo Myint Maung’s track at National Quemoy University focuses on cross-strait relations, regional security, and Asian international relations.

For Myo Myint Maung, the program's location was one of the first things that drew his attention. Growing up in northern Myanmar, he has seen how proximity to China shapes everyday life and regional relationships.

“Honestly, it was the location that first caught my attention. I grew up in northern Myanmar, where China shares our longest border and that proximity shapes daily life in quiet but constant ways. I applied not because I had clear answers, but because I wanted to understand better how small states find room to act and keep their sense of direction.”

The opportunity also reflects the support he received from the Parami community. With limited time to apply, the university helped make the opportunity possible.

“It didn't feel like an individual achievement. I heard about the program less than a week before the deadline and mentioned it to Dr. Dan Wesener, our Director of Partnerships and Engagement, without expecting much. Normally, the program requires a formal partnership between institutions, but he and Parami’s senior leadership worked to make it possible.”

He describes the support as a meaningful reminder of the community around him. “It was a humbling reminder of how much the Parami community invests in its students—not just in words, but in steady, practical ways. I’m deeply grateful for that," said Myo Myint Maung.

During the five-month program, Myo Myint Maung hopes to develop his Mandarin skills while exploring small-state relations with China and international relations from an Asian perspective. He also looks forward to learning alongside students from across the region and exchanging perspectives beyond the classroom.

As a Parami student, he has learned in an environment that encourages students to engage with different perspectives and connect their studies with the world around them. This experience will allow him to continue that learning in a broader regional setting.

Myo Myint Maung sees the program as a foundation for his anticipated graduate studies focused on Chinese society and politics. Through this experience, he hopes to deepen his understanding of Asia and contribute to greater understanding between South and East Asia through patient, thoughtful engagement. The opportunity will also allow him to represent Parami in an international learning environment while gaining new academic, cultural, and regional perspectives that he can carry into his future academic and professional work.