studying mandarin + economics in germany or china?

[singlung]

hey guys!

this is an incredible place for learning chinese, it gave me so many useful tools, websites and opinions that really helped me out.

but now there's a bigger question in front of me and i would love to hear some opinions from you!

i will soon finish my apprenticeship and want to start studying mandarin in connection with business studies. at first it seemed the best for me to study at a german university (i'm located in germany ;)) and go to china later on. but while thinking about an emergency plan (e.g. not being accepted at any german university) i thought about studying chinese in shanghai for a year (ecnu) and after that something like english-taught chinese economy at fudan for example.

the duration would be the same and i think the costs won't differ too much.

what do you think about it? comments highly appreciated ^^

regards

singlung

[Senzhi]

There are two reasons why I'd consider studying in Germany:

1. Education is free (at least for a first time degree and without considering costs of books and any extra-curricular materials).

2. A German degree will have a much stronger weight than a Chinese degree. Even in China.

[singlung]

1. Education is free (at least for a first time degree and without considering costs of books and any extra-curricular materials).

unfortunately it is not free anymore. it is about 400-600 eur p.a. (depending on the university) now and i would have to move, which adds the costs for an appartment.

2. A German degree will have a much stronger weight than a Chinese degree. Even in China.

this was my main consideration and since you pointed it out it seems to be true.

thanks for your opinion. anybody else?

[roddy]

That's still almost free . . .

I think if you don't get in initially you should look (if possible, not sure how Germany works) at doing something else - maybe studying in China - and then reapplying. If you're sure you want to do a degree in China though, bear in mind that after a years of language study you will likely have the level to do a degree taught in Chinese - which means your options wouldn't be limited to the English-language courses.

[singlung]

yeah you're right, it's not much. but i think money is not the point because living in germany is more expensive than living in china.

costs: study fee (china > germany) + appartment (germany>china) + living (germany>china)

there's not much of a difference i guess if i added it all up.

If you're sure you want to do a degree in China though, bear in mind that after a years of language study you will likely have the level to do a degree taught in Chinese - which means your options wouldn't be limited to the English-language courses.

i'm not sure yet, that's why i'm asking you guys ;)

my future plan is living in china (shanghai) and working there. i want to be prepared as good as possible.

on one hand it might look better having a german degree than a chinese one, on the other hand i can meet people, socialize, maybe create business contacts and learn the language much better (i believe) studying/living in china. what do you think?

[trevelyan]

I think Germany is a better option for one reason: if you study in China your "role" will be a foreign student and you will have minimal exposure to other sorts of academic work. Even if you try, you'll be treated with kid gloves.

In Germany, you can experiment with different fields and get a better sense of what you enjoy. Music, computer science, engineering, philosophy, languages, literature, etc. Save up to come over in the summer, or take a year abroad before making such a significant plunge.

imho, you almost never want to commit to attending a university without having visited it anyway.

[renzhe]

Some good points.

On the other hand, learning Chinese in Germany is far far more difficult than learning Chinese in China. Basically, unless you enroll in a Sinology degree course, or get some sort of arrangement to attend their lectures, your chances of learning Chinese beyond beginner level are slim.

What you COULD try is getting in contact with some universities who do management, logistics, economics, etc, and who have contacts with Chinese universities. There is an increasing number of those, and there is interest from both sides. There is a German Hochschulkolleg at Tongji University in Shanghai, for example: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinesisch-Deutsches_Hochschulkolleg , I've visited it quite accidentally once, and it was brand new and looked quite nice. It likely won't be perfect, and they are still ironing out the kinks, but this could be a chance to combine a stay in China with study in Germany.

You should alsos ask around if there are departments doing exchange with Chinese universities -- some of them are sending people over there to write their Diploma theses, so you could get 6 months or a year in Shanghai as a part of your course.

[singlung]

both the university of cologne and the university of hamburg offer an exchange with china.

in cologne you can attend a university of your choice while studying a year in china and in hamburg they offer internships in chinese companies during the semester break (3-4 months i think).

the thing with the german hochschulkolleg looks like made for chinese that want to go to germany later on. so basically the other way round

but after reading all your posts i think i will study in germany, combined with an exchange with a chinese university, giving me the german degree without neglecting making experiences in china.

but maybe you guys have time for a final question about my future (now that sounds important^^):

cologne or hamburg?

i will give you a quick look at the facts that i consider important:

-cologne is quite near, would have to move anyway but visiting family and friends is quite easy

-hamburg is far away, visiting my relatives would cost a fortune

-hamburg is the city with most chinese companies located at, shanghai's sister city, a chinese company even built a copy of the famous huxinting teahouse there

-considering that, it might be easier to have a part time job at a chinese company, maybe ability to practice the language

-i guess hamburg has some kind of reputation in china (because of the precedent facts)

-cologne offers a complete year of study in china

-hamburg only offers a few months,but maybe seeing chinese companies from the inside is better?

soo, this is it. would be great if you found some time for reading this post ;)

[Senzhi]

I'm going to be naughty here, choose Hamburg: the less time you have to visit family/friends, the more you'll be inclined to study.

[renzhe]

the thing with the german hochschulkolleg looks like made for chinese that want to go to germany later on. so basically the other way round

Actually, it's both ways -- plenty of Germans doing their PhDs there. But it is essentially for post-graduates, so it may not apply to you. I was just giving an example.

In your case, doing a degree at a German university with an exchange (and/or a couple of trips over to China during holidays) seems like a good option.

cologne or hamburg?

I've lived in Hamburg for many years, so I'm biased

When it comes to important things, Cologne might be ahead: a year at a university >> 3 months in a company, as you'll probably be just a mascott over there, it's cheaper to live in (though probably not by much), closer to your home, fewer distractions...

But Hamburg is Hamburg

[Senzhi]

But Hamburg is Hamburg

Absolutely true, not to be missed if you're a party animal.

Of course that's not to say there are no party animals in Köln.

The real question is about you: what would you choose ... and why? In all fairness of course.

[singlung]

I've lived in Hamburg for many years, so I'm biased

oh cool, why have you been there?

When it comes to important things, Cologne might be ahead: a year at a university >> 3 months in a company, as you'll probably be just a mascott over there

after reading that, i totally agree with you! i guess there will be enough possibilites when i finished.

i could not find out though what the study in china consists of. but i think it will be a year of intensive mandarin studies, maybe some english-taught economics.

they're having good parties in cologne as well, i won't get bored

[renzhe]

You should get in contact with both universities and get some information, that's always better than guessing. When it comes to lively cities that are fun to live in, both Hamburg and Cologne are way at the top of the list (together with Berlin), so you can't go wrong anyway.

If they have some sort of exchange, chances are that you may get English or German language instruction over there, at least for some courses.

[HashiriKata]

Personally, when I can't decide, I'd go for the one I feel more comfortable with.

Also, if you start getting in touch with the universities in both cities and find out more about them and about the possibility of joining them, I think the experience & outcome will incline you to one more than to the other. In that way, the decision will be virtually made for you.

[singlung]

tomorrow i will try to get in touch with the chinese study department of the university of cologne to ask about the year of study in china.

i feel more comfortable with cologne anyway, hashirikata. the only reason left why i would go to hamburg are the chinese companies located there, maybe offering job opportunities. but everything else really speaks for cologne.

this was the first thread started by myself and you were very supportive. thanks a lot! maybe one day i will be able to help a wannaspeakchinese-newbie

[renzhe]

but everything else really speaks for cologne.

Spoken like somebody who has never been to Hamburg

but joking aside, I don't know how whether Chinese companies would be of much help. If your goal is to get sent to China, your best bet would be to seek a German or European company who are active in China (and there are many), they are more likely to send you there (and pay well) than Chinese companies in Germany, at least that's my impression.

I know several people who ended up in China after working for a German company in Germany. If you have a degree in economics plus study or work experience in China, you'd make a good candidate.

[singlung]

actually i have been there for two weeks, working during my aprenticeship. i wasn't able to spend a lot of free time there though. it is more in general, i don't like their accent and working there didn't really make it better

If your goal is to get sent to China, your best bet would be to seek a German or European company who are active in China (and there are many), they are more likely to send you there (and pay well) than Chinese companies in Germany, at least that's my impression.

it's amazing how you're clearing my mind with one sentence. you are absolutely right!

[singlung]

i just wanted to let you know:

i (finally) called the chinese study department at the university of cologne and they told me that students take an intensive mandarin course while they are in china for a year. it starts after the 4th semester after the mandarin course in germany is finished.

i think that sounds great, i'm really looking forward to studying there

this was it, just a short information

[singlung]

i am usually not the one to dig out the dead, but i wanted to give you guys an update on my situation!

right now i am in zhongshan, guangdong province, doing an internship at a chinese company. i thought it might be nice gaining some experience of working here before finally focusing on kind of settling down here in future.

i have been here for a month now and i really like it so far. actually i have been thinking about skipping my plan of studying in germany and instead studying chinese in zhongshan and getting a bachelor's degree on some other way.

but that is the main thing, how to get a good bachelor's degree here? some people i talked to recommended me online degrees, but i am not sure about their reputation.

i applied for some german universities and expect their respones during the next two weeks. my plan was to go back home somewhen during september and then enroll at a german university in october.

i was so sure about the whole thing before i got here, now it became quite difficult. there are many things that tell me "stay in china" but just as many telling me "go back to germany".

so any of you guys want to help me wash my brain and sort my thoughts? ^^

[gato]

i was so sure about the whole thing before i got here, now it became quite difficult. there are many things that tell me "stay in china" but just as many telling me "go back to germany".

Does the reason have anything to do with members of the opposite sex?