Graduate Abroad programs get started! Two TKU graduate institutes, International Trade and Management Science, decide to send all graduate students recruited through recommendation abroad to TKU sister universities for one year of study. In the 2007 academic year, 7 students from Graduate Institute of International Trade, and 2 from Graduate Institute of Management Science will go to University of Michigan, Flint, and California State University, Sacramento for one year respectively.

The 7 students from Graduate Institute of International Trade: Lin Yu-shan, Chien Wen-chien, Peng Hsiao-tien, Hong Wei-cheng, Lu Yu-ting, Huang Ting-hsiang, and Shuen Hao. The 2 students from Graduate Institute of Management Science are Huang Chi-wen, and Liu Yi-chi.

Chair of Dept. International Trade, Dr. Lin Yi-nan indicates that the junior abroad program in his department has been practiced for three years, and now it is time to extend the program to involve graduate students. In the future, there is plan for double diploma program. Dr. Lin suggests the selected students to catch this change to expand their world view as well as to strengthen their disciplinary studies.

English language has always been the biggest challenge for those students. Lin Yu-shan, who majored in English when she was an undergraduate, states that even though she gets a solid basic language training, she keeps practicing English everyday. Another candidate, Hong Wei-cheng remarks that, owing to learning environment, his English ability is limited, and he wishes to improve it greatly during the time of his abroad studies.

Anxiety toward a new university in the foreign country is another frequent problem. As Shuen Hao states, “it is said that we can not take many credits, for the studying load for each credit is very heavy; however, if we do not take enough credits from abroad, we have to extend our studying year when we return.” Chair Lin Yi-nan suggests those anxious students to select those credits agree with the Tamkang curriculum, and he consoles that even if they have to extend for half a year when they return, the abroad studying year is guaranteed to be worthwhile.

Five students to study in University of Michigan, Flint, have decided to rent an apartment together to help one another. They cherish this wonderful chance to nurture their worldview and drill their English proficiency. And they recommend those who plan to study abroad to be open-minded and optimistic, and thus would welcome any challenge.

Huang Chi-wen, and Liu Yi-chi, from Graduate Institute of Management Science, who are going to California State University, Sacramento, feel confident about their future abroad studies. They plan to make good uses of this period of time to see the world, make foreign friends, and utilize the abundant MBA resources in the university to learn the latest knowledge about management. ( ~Chen Chi-szu )