Cheng Ying-yao

Cheng Ying-yao is a Taiwanese academic administrator who has served as the Ministry [of Education (Taiwan)|Minister of Education] since 2024.

Early life and education

Cheng was raised in Penghu. After graduating from the Pingtung Normal College, he worked as an elementary school teacher. He then earned a master's degree in education from National Kaohsiung Normal University in 1985 and earned his Ph.D. in education from National Chengchi University in 1992. His doctoral dissertation was titled, "A study on elementary school teachers' creative thinking, critical thinking and related factors".

Academic career

Cheng began his career at National Sun Yat-sen University in 1985, first as a professor and successively serving as the dean of students and social sciences before assuming the university presidency. During his presidential tenure, Cheng in 2019 proposed that NSYSU merge with Kaohsiung Medical University. The following year, Cheng commented on, then penned an open letter about, the university's handling of plagiarism allegations against alumnae Li Mei-jhen. In 2022, NSYSU became the first university in Taiwan to offer mental health leave to its students, and inaugurated the College of Semiconductor and Advanced Technology Research.

Political career

In the mid-2000s, Cheng headed the Kaohsiung City Government's Bureau of Education. He later served two terms as leader of the Democratic Progressive Party-affiliated.
Cheng was named Minister of Education in Cho Jung-tai's incoming cabinet on 12 April 2024. At the time of his appointment to the Executive Yuan, Cheng held no party affiliation.
On 8 January 2026, Cheng was sanctioned by the Taiwan Affairs Office of the People's Republic of China as a "diehard "Taiwan independence" separatist" for "organising the compilation of ‘Taiwan independence’ textbooks, poisoning the minds of young people on the island and obstructing cross-strait educational exchanges and cooperation".