From September 30, 2022, to January 15, 2023, four BINUS University students studied at Cheng Shiu University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. These four students’ study in the International Business major with Taiwanese students and other foreign students. Lectures are delivered in Mandarin.
Figure 1 BINUS University Students
Figure 2 BINUS University Students at Cheng Shiu University, Taiwan
During their study period in Taiwan, students had the opportunity to take part in activities at a nursing home. They are involved in activities at the nursing home such as helping the older people there to draw on bottles. This activity was carried out to amuse the older people in nursing homes as a form of service to the community which was carried out by students of Cheng Shiu University. Apart from Indonesian students, students from Vietnam, India, Thailand, the Philippines, and Taiwan were also involved in this activity. This activity running for whole day.
Figure 3 At Nursing House with Older People
Figure 4 Activities at Nursing House
Figure 5 Activities at Taiwan Village
While studying in Taiwan, the students also took environmental courses and held field trips to the countryside. While in the village, the students had the opportunity to pick flowers and fruit with other foreign lecturers and students. Through this activity the students assessed that while studying in Taiwan there were many activities carried out outside the classroom compared to studying in the classroom. This made students feel happy because their insights broadened. In addition, they had the opportunity to interact directly with residents in Taiwan.
In addition, during study in the classroom, foreign students are more active in class. So that the atmosphere in the class becomes livelier. According to BINUS University students’ perception that Taiwanese students are more passive and don't take the initiative to communicate so that relations with fellow foreign students are closer. Foreign students who blend easily are students from Vietnam and India. When communicating with Vietnamese students, BINUS University students use Mandarin. When communicating with Indian students, BINUS University students use English. Thus, they can immediately use two foreign languages at once, namely English and Mandarin when they study in Taiwan.
At the end of the lecture, all foreign students were given a certificate and had the opportunity to take a photo with the President of Cheng Shiu University, Prof. Jiu Chang Kung, Prof. Jiu-Chang Kung.
Figure 6 Group Photo with President Cheng Shiu University, Prof. Jiu-Chang Kung
The things that impressed BINUS University students with Taiwan aside from the kindness and attention of the teachers, also the convenient and inexpensive transportation, and never meet traffic jam like in Jakarta, Indonesia.