Mind-broadening stint in Taiwan

Story and video by Chin Wah Choon, BA(Hons) Business Management student of DISTED

An educational trip gave 3 DISTED College business students wider perspectives on the educational, industrial and cultural landscapes in Taiwan. 

Chin Wah Choon, Lim Wern Yi and Yip Kah Yan, who are pursuing the UK’ Staffordshire University business degrees at the college, visited the country from 4 to 12 January 2012, accompanied by DISTED School of Business programme coordinator Gwee Sai Ling. 

DISTED business undergraduates (from left) Lim Wern Yi, Chin Wah Choon and Yip Kah Yan in a group shot during their industrial visit to Taiwan's Formosa Plastics.

“At the Taipei National University of the Arts and the Oriental Institute of Technology (OIT), we had the opportunity to take a closer look at their learning environments and interact with their students. 

“The visit to the Taipei Far Eastern Group and the Formosa Plastics Group gave us an enriching learning experience about Taiwanese enterprises and corporate culture,” Chin shared of the study tour arranged by OIT, an educational exchange collaboration partner of DISTED. 

DISTED School of Business programme coordinator Gwee Sai Ling (second from left) and her students sharing a good time of camaraderie with their counterparts from the Oriental Institute of Technology during the study tour to Taiwan.

They also discovered more about the natural beauty, history and arts of Taiwan and the lifestyles of its people when touring well-known tourist attractions such as the National Palace Museum, National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall, Beitou Hot Spring, Hsinchu Hakka Village, Tamsui Old Street and the night markets.  

“It was a fantastic outing abroad where I had the opportunity to behold some stunning and scenic landscapes such as a breathtaking view of enchanting mountains. 

“In Taiwan, fruits of all kinds abound. I also discovered that Taiwanese have a culinary passion for eggs and seafood,” said Chin, a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Business Management student, adding that they made a stop-over at the Malaysian Embassy in Taipei.

The Taiwan study tour participants from DISTED taking a crash course in commercial design at the Oriental Institute of Technology.

DISTED business student Chin Wah Choon explaining a 3D graphic show that he designed when taking a short course in commercial design at Taiwan's Oriental Institute of Technology.

His course mate Lim had a fabulous encounter with creative design at OIT, which has sent its students on a transnational study tour to Penang for the last 5 years in collaboration with DISTED. 

“The 3D fancy design class that I attended there was amazing. I had the chance to appreciate some of the most fantastic designs by the institute’s students,” said Lim, who is reading a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Accounting and Finance. 

The field learning trip broadened the international outlook of Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Marketing Management student Yip. 

“I learnt a lot about Taiwan and its places of historical interest, its friendly people, their traditions and consumer behaviour,” she remarked. 

Finding out more about tertiary education in Taiwan are (clockwise) DISTED business undergraduates Chin Wah Choon, Lim Wern Yi, Yip Kah Yan and their School of Business programme coordinator Gwee Sai Ling.

As for Gwee, she commented on what impressed her about Taiwan: “I’m endeared to their variety of local delicacies and admire their well-developed public transportation system and the vast opportunities for higher education with 160 tertiary institutions on a relatively small island.” 

“I also enjoyed the warm hospitality of the Taiwanese community, particularly that extended by OIT staff, which made our stay there comfortable and memorable,” she added.

In a group photo at the Malaysian Embassy in Taipei include the Taiwan study tour participants from DISTED, Oriental Institute of Technology chief of student affairs Dr Wang Hsin Hsiung (back, fifth from left) and the embassy's visa division director Saravana Kumar (back, third from left).