The importance of learning Mandarin Chinese is growing with every passing day. China, today's third largest economy, is expected to be the world's largest in a decade according to Deutsche Bank economist Jun Ma.

So how does this affect you?

Businesses are going to start focusing on the opportunities presented in China. So whether you are an administrative assistant or the CEO of a company, your work will slowly be affected by the presence of China. Furthermore, more and more goods are being imported from China, which we use and consume on a daily basis. Recent incidents of Chinese tainted goods should remind you of this. Lastly, government policies will slowly be shifted towards the recognition of China as a global superpower and their ability to hold debt of other foreign countries especially the US. While this is a short list of the reasons how China will slowly affect our lives, it implies the need for everyone to learn Mandarin Chinese.

How to study Mandarin?

The most common way to learn Chinese is through a local school, however the most popular method nowadays is to learn Chinese online or electronically. There are numerous websites and software programs offering the ability to learn quickly. Now, it is highly possible that individuals can learn quickly through these programs, but one thing that everyone must keep in mind is the motivation, time, and commitment of an individual. Let’s not kid ourselves, while we have good intensions to learn and improve ourselves, we are often distracted by more important issues and often fail to complete these programs.

The other alternative is to study abroad in language schools designed to help improve your conversational, reading, and writing abilities. The fact that you are immersed in a Chinese only environment forces you to learn quickly. Imagine having to order food through Chinese only menus.

Why Taiwan?

There are three very important reasons to choose Taiwan over China.

1. Taiwanese are very polite and courteous. Wherever you go, you are treated as an equal. I have heard from multiple individuals that if you are a foreigner in China, they will treat you as one.
2. A large number of quality educational institutions. For example, NTNU (http://140.122.110.12/mtcweb/) was established more than 50 years ago and is recognized for the professionalism.
3. Taiwan’s use of traditional characters. While it may seem to be an inconvenience to learn traditional characters, it is beneficial as older documents can be read. As a result of learning traditional characters, simplified characters are thereby easily read, however the reverse is not the same.

Which School Should I Attend?

In one sentence… It depends on your goals and your money situation.

Here are some points to consider when deciding:

• Reputation of the school and quality of education. While I can’t speak for all the schools, I will mention that NTU – International Chinese Language Program (ICLP), NTU – Chinese Language Division, and NTNU, offer programs within Taipei that are more often recommended by students.
• Price. Most programs will range between $600-$1000 USD for a 3 month program. ICLP’s program is considerably more expensive and will be explained more later on.
• Convenience. For someone new to Taipei, having easy access to the mass rapid transit would allow for convenience in purchasing day-to-day goods.
• Dormitory. Individuals new to Taiwan may choose to stay at a dormitory. Whether a school has one and the age of it maybe a concern for some.

Miscellaneous Tidbits

For the most part, language schools teach using the Practical Audio-Visual Chinese book series. Classes are mostly or all spoken in Chinese and are generally 2-3 hours a day. Homework does require Chinese characters and sometimes pinyin.

ICLP is more expensive due to the intensity of their classes and smaller class size. ICLP’s program is geared towards individuals who are committed to learning Chinese for a year. Each day, students have 1 hour of one-on-one and 3 hours of group classes. Group classes are between 2-4 students, which is significantly lower than other language schools. They utilize a large number of books including the one stated above and their self-written books. Multiple books are studied at one time. In my opinion, if money is no option and you are in need to learn Chinese as quick as possible, this is the best solution.

The following website is a government funded site for individuals seeking information about studying in Taiwan. In there, you’ll discover a large number of language schools available to you. Furthermore, there is information on acquiring a Visa and Scholarship.

http://www.studyintaiwan.org/

One last comment. At the end of the day, if you are dedicated to learning Chinese in Taiwan, I have no doubt that you will succeed in any of the fine schools available there.