Bad Quality of the Universities in Taiwan?

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
1

Hi everyone,

I am doing a PhD at Asia University in Taichung (Wufeng).

However, I am very upset with the general level of both teachers and students, to sum up :

-Teachers can even speak basic english and make huge horrible mistakes.
-So as students.
-In my PhD, there are student who fail the very minimum required to get admitted… and are still here. WHY?
They don’t understand anything and when they talk; nobody knows what they are trying to say.
-The level is a joke (and a bad one), the program is empty and very low, I am not learning anything there.
-The “course” is so plain that I don’t even get what’s the use of it.
-The other students are not even able to work by themselves, they only copy and paste things they don’t even understand.

I am fed up to lower my level.
This is like torture to me. :noway:

I write an email to the president of Asia University who send (his secretary) me to the responsible of the international center. I went to complain to the responsible (whose english is very low) and they told me " Yes, thanks for complaining, but we haven’t hear this kind of things before".
Like, I am exaggerating and/or inventing everything… :ohreally:

Everyone is so incompetent. Nice people, but totally unable to solve the easiest problem.
This may sound prententious, but I would run this university better. (I think almost everyone would)

Some other student from Europe are complaining too but nothing change (and I am not hoping, it will).
Some people tell me to go to party everynight and get my PhD doing nothing. :smiley:

I am not against parties, but what’s the point of getting a diploma that worth nothing…?
I am losing all my motivation.

My studies are very important for me, I left my friends and family to come here, I spend a lot of time and money for the visa and the authentication of my grades and diplomas, and for the flight, the rental, etc, and … for what?

This is bothering more than it should, the other university I want to apply will start next september…
And I don’t want to waste this year doing nothing.

The other bad point, is that the university is very far away or everything, and going to the city take more than one hour.
I am actually thinking about giving my rental back and go to another city for work and just come back for (this lame) class.

Ideas, anyone?
:bow:

1 Like
2

I’m sorry to hear that, it’s true that Asia university is not a great university and it is also quite isolated. I can imagine there is little to do there and little support for foreign students.

Unfortunately the situation you describe is a common one in Taiwan with universities desperate for students. The public universities in Taipei, Tainan etc would be a better choice although still not great internationally speaking.

Nothing will change with your PhD program, so you either accept it and do something else to occupy your time or quit. I would advise you to move to Taichung city if you are staying in the course but if you don’t have many classes to attend.

3

Thanks HeadhonchoII,
:slight_smile:

The thing is, there are very few universities in my field taught in english.

I can understand the need of having students, but what’s the point if it lower the level so much it makes leave the good ones.
Quantity vs Quality …

I was even thinking to rent a flat in Tainan, Kaoshiung or even Hualien, and/or a different city every month, and just come back for the class (I have two half days by weeks :unamused: ).

4

If you have a scholarship, then make do and enjoy your time as a student. Us working folk seem to miss it; I know I do. If you don’t have a scholarship, find a better school, I’d think.

5

Sounds very much like a part-time PhD. That could be okay if you set some other goals for yourself, maybe learn Chinese, do some other work (need to check visa and consider at your own risk) etc.

6

No offense but… this is Taiwan. The national language is Mandarin Chinese. I don’t get why there are so many people complaining that the “English language instruction is bad” or “Nobody speaks very good English” at Taiwanese universities. I bet nobody speaks very good Chinese (outside of certain departments) at Harvard either, does that mean the quality of education at Harvard is bad?

I’m auditing courses at Tai-Da right now(taught entirely in Chinese), and the quality of education is very, very high. I’ve heard excellent things about NCCU and NTNU as well.
If you want to study a PhD, you must have a plan to live in Taiwan for at least 5 years (maybe more like 5~10 years). Why not learn Chinese first?

7

Please don’t take offense, but Asia University is frequently cited as a classic example of private universities in the game to try to make a profit, not to educate people. I have a few friends who graduated from there and my girlfriend studied there for a year before transferring elsewhere. The school was only opened about 10 years ago, I believe, and is now desperately seeking to bring in foreign students as Taiwan’s local student population is shrinking.

I had a great time at my graduate program in Taipei, but then again, it was all in Chinese.

8

[quote=“mao-mi”]No offense but… this is Taiwan. The national language is Mandarin Chinese. I don’t get why there are so many people complaining that the “English language instruction is bad” or “Nobody speaks very good English” at Taiwanese universities. I bet nobody speaks very good Chinese (outside of certain departments) at Harvard either, does that mean the quality of education at Harvard is bad?

I’m auditing courses at Tai-Da right now(taught entirely in Chinese), and the quality of education is very, very high. I’ve heard excellent things about NCCU and NTNU as well.
If you want to study a PhD, you must have a plan to live in Taiwan for at least 5 years (maybe more like 5~10 years). Why not learn Chinese first?[/quote]

You’re right, of course, in that English is not an official language here so it’s no surprise that people’s skills are pretty lacking. But at the same time, if the school is going to promise an English PhD program, they should be able to deliver on that promise. Saying “Sorry we don’t have good English” is not a legitimate excuse.

9

I don’t have scolarship, but I don’t pay fees (I would have been very angry to pay for that). :noway:

I would like to find a job in any Business field since I gratuated from a very food Business School, but seems that it may be complicated with the work permit. Unless they have some kind of intership here…?

I am also learning chinese but I have not the level to do a PhD in Chinese.

I came here because the program was “International and fully taught in English”, where is basically a fraud.
Then why saying it’s International, if it’s not true?

10

We posted in the same time, I agree with Hokwongwei.

By the way, my master was in English in France.

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[quote=“Hokwongwei”]Please don’t take offense, but Asia University is frequently cited as a classic example of private universities in the game to try to make a profit, not to educate people. I have a few friends who graduated from there and my girlfriend studied there for a year before transferring elsewhere. The school was only opened about 10 years ago, I believe, and is now desperately seeking to bring in foreign students as Taiwan’s local student population is shrinking.

I had a great time at my graduate program in Taipei, but then again, it was all in Chinese.[/quote]

It wouldn’t be hugely different in other ‘international’ programs from what I’ve heard. The only way they can attract foreign students is through their scholarship schemes and very relaxed entry criteria.

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We don’t have scolarship neither.

The criterias are sure really relaxed…

:unamused:

13

Nonsense. The national language of the country is irrelevant; it’s a school and they should hire the proper staff to deliver what they offer. If they can’t, then the program should be cancelled. It’s like saying that it’s normal that the French literature program at Duke sucks because people in the US speaks English. Huh?

If Harvard would offer a PhD in Chinese for International students, you can bet all the people in charge of the program would speak very good Chinese.

14

The standard for education here is very low, this is not news. Taiwan’s most ‘prestigious’ university, NTU isn’t even in the top 100 in the world…its 142. So going to a no-name like Asia University is going to be an utter joke.

And even the ‘good’ universities here just have people memorize and regurgitate; there is no real analysis that takes place (including Chinese programs…which actually are much more about regurgitation than actual thought). Having a PhD from a Taiwanese university is about as good as having your name written on toilet paper if you leave Taiwan. Unless you want to spend the rest of your life here, there is really no point whatsoever getting a PhD here. You should certainly drop out of your program. Not sure why you chose to pursue a PhD here.

15

I politely and strongly disagree with Confuzius. A Taiwanese PhD isn’t useless if it’s in a field relevant to Taiwan. There are a few great translation programs here (although still not up to HK-level), and being 142nd in the world isn’t terrible. It’s nothing to be proud of, but it doesn’t mean you’re getting a bad education, either.

16

142 is the very best. And as you said, its nothing to be proud of. So anything outside of NTU…is LESS than nothing to be proud of.

And getting a PhD in something relevant to Taiwan, IN Taiwan…IS a waste of time unless you will stay here. Getting a PhD related to Taiwan in the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, helle, even China or South Africa will be looked on much much better than one from Taiwan (there is no irony there…the education is just that piss poor here). You go up for a job with your nice little PhD, in a field related to Taiwan, from a Taiwanese university. The guy next to you with a PhD from any of the countries I just mentioned above is going to be shortlisted for an interview where you probably will not.

That is just a fact.

17

I want to be a researcher, so I need a PhD.
:sunglasses:

I was admitted in two of the best universities in Australia, but the fees were crazy (36 000 AUS$ multiply by 4 years study) and the rental and living is very high too.

So I had to rethink it, and I thought Asia University would be ok (not the best one of course, but I wasn’t expecting such a low level neither) and life in Taiwan quite affordable.

18

If you want to be a researcher you need to drop out of your program and go to a new university (unless you want to live and work in Taiwan). This may sound harsh, but it is a truth I think you need to hear. Better now than later when you can’t find a job if you end up finishing there. I understand the funding issue, I am lucky in that tuition at my PhD program is all paid for. As I am in the dissertation stage, I moved to Taiwan to conduct research…and for the low cost of living, so I understand the money issues.

But it would be much better to find funding for a good program than to graduate from a cheap mediocre one…which will not land you a research job. I can pretty much guarantee you that.

19

If you are really serious about research, head to the Academia Sinica. They do have standards, internationalization and the people there are not coasting through. As a matter of fact, it is rather painful.

Or as an NCCU fellow student said, Permanent Head Damage.

20

Do your one year of course work and then transfer. Do not graduate from Asia University if you want any kind of research position later. I would never hire a graduate of Asia U as a post doc, especially when I have hundreds of graduates from top tier universities to choose from. Good grads from Taiwan are ok, but only from the top two or three unis in a field.

Do some research and find the best in your field and apply now