Under the terms of the agreement, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Sun Yat-Sen University, Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan Science and Technology University, Chung Yuan University and Tunghai University would send their students to Temple University in Philadelphia for their master's degree, and vice versa. Students would take part in the program after completing their three years of undergraduate education, and obtaining necessary transfer credits.

"This mutually cooperative program is poised to accelerate the globalization of Taiwan's higher education," said Vice President Annette Lu, who addressed the ceremony at National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) in Taipei to mark the signing of an agreement.

"The U.S.-Taiwan academic cooperation pact is set to provide life-enhancing experiences for Taiwanese college students that are not always available to them even if they have money," she added.

Temple University President Ann Weaver-Hart and NTNU's President Kuo Yi-hsiung, acting on behalf of the six universities, inked the agreement at the ceremony.

According to Temple University, the dual degree program will allow students to shift their studies to other areas after entering graduate schools, which will further reduce the amount of time a student needs to earn degrees at both institutions.

Furthermore, Temple will also offer English classes to help Taiwanese students adapt to studying at the university, as well as provide scholarships in order to attract Taiwanese university students.

"We encourage our students to study abroad," said Michael Lai, president of NCKU, who added that the new agreement would work both ways to prevent fierce competition among local universities to attract the already dwindling number of university students nationwide.

There are currently 158 universities in Taiwan, with a declining number of students in recent years.

"No matter if you go abroad three, five or ten years," he said. "It's an important opportunity for Taiwan students."