Office of International Programs College of Commerce National Chengchi University E-mail：[email protected] Tel：(02)29393091-87081-84 Contents Office of International Programs (OIP) -------------------------------- 1 The University and College------------------------------------------------ 2 Come to OIP, hotels, environment------------------------------------------ 3 Orientation ----------------------------------------------------------------- 5 Accommodations--------------------------------------------------------- 6~7 University Calendar, websites--------------------------------------------- 8 Appendics Visa application-------------------------------------------------------- 9 Hospitals---------------------------------------------------------------- 12 Campus facilities and activities-------------------------------------- 13 Dorm issues------------------------------------------------------------- 16 School bus schedule--------------------------------------------------- 18 Culture shock and adjustment------------------------------------- 19 Classical Chinese ---------------------------------------------------- 23 Street names--------------------------------------------------------- 24 Survival tips------------------------------------------------------ 29 Office of International Programs 116 台北市文山區指南路二段 64 號 College of Commerce, 7F 國立政治大學商學院 64 Chih-Nan Road, Sec. 2 國際事務辦公室 Wenshan, Taipei 116 Taiwan R.O.C. email address: [email protected] website: imba.nccu.edu.tw phone number: 886-2-29393091 extensions 87081 through 87084 fax: 886-2-29387882 The mandate of the Office of International Programs (OIP) is to administer the following programs at the College of Commerce: International MBA (IMBA) Exchange Programs (EP) English Taught Program (ETP) OIP Personnel Professor Edward Chow, Chairman Professor Mei-Hwa Lin, OIP Director Professor Chao-ping Ting, Exchange Program Professor Jan-juy Lin, ETP Cherry Huang, Li-chi Ho, Executive Secretaries About Taipei Taipei is the capital city of Taiwan, R.O.C. with a population of over 2 millions. It is a big city with a dynamic and modern atmosphere. Taipei is located in the northern part of Taiwan and covers an area of 27,177 hectares. The city is situated in a basin surrounded by spectacular mountains. Location: Locates in northern Taiwan, Taipei is the political, economic, financial, and cultural center of the Republic of China. It has a thriving arts and academic scene and countless modern commercial buildings. With its vibrant cultural and economic growth, it has become a modern international metropolis. 1 Geography: Two beautiful peaks rise up steeply in the northeast: Mt. Tatun and Mt. Chihsing, both just over 1,000 meters high. Volcanic formations, they are gentle in shape, contrasting with Taiwan’s other harsh, jagged peaks. By virtue of this unusual topography, the area was made into Yangmingshan National Park. Population: 2.63million (approx.) Language: Mandarin Chinese is the official language. Taiwanese, Hakka, and other dialects are also spoken. Climate: Taipei has a subtropical climate, with an average temperature of 23.6 degrees centigrade (74.5 degrees Fahrenheit). Summer is from May until September and is characterized by scorching heat and high humidity. Autumn is from October to November, with average temperatures ranging between 22.2and 24.2 degrees centigrade. (Source: Central Weather Bureau, 1997) About National Chengchi University Founded in 1927, National Chengchi University(NCCU) has always been proud of its ethical foundation and commitment to serving society. Thus social science, humanities, and commerce were the primary academic domains developed in the past. Form these beginnings and in tabdem with the political and economic growth and discipline specialization taking place in Taiwan, the college of Communication, Foreign Languages, Law, Science, and Social Science were later founded. In the future, building on its distinguished history, NCCU will continue in its pursuit of excellence, build on the strengths of the current eight Colleges. About the College of commerce The College of Commerce was founded in the fall of 1957 with the aim of cultivating business management research and entrepreneurial excellence as well as enhancing frontier research in all areas of business. With eight departments (International Trade, Money & Banking, Accounting, Statistics, Business Administration, Management Information System, Risk Management & Insurance), 2 the Graduate Institute of Technology & Innovation Management, and Graduate Institute of Intellectual Property, the College of commerce provides the most comprehensive program for research and education in business. With the inauguration of the new College of Commerce Building in May 1997, many collegiate level research centers were established to promote academic research, internships with leading corporations, and interdisciplimary integration. The EMBA (Executive MBA), CMBA (Counting Education MBA), and IMBA (International MBA) are among the many projects, which demand interdepartmental resources integration and cooperation. When you arrive in Taipei From the airport: The most convenient, but most expensive, way to get from the CKS airport to Chengchi is to take a taxi. (at least 1200 NT) To save money, you could take one of the many buses from CKS to downtown Taipei, then take a taxi from downtown to Chengchi. (approximately 500 NT) The most economical (under 300 NT), and least convenient route would be to take a bus from CKS to downtown Taipei, then either Take the MRT to the Taipei Zoo, Go out of the station, across the street then jump on any bus. It is three steps to get to the campus. Take the 236 or 237 from Kungkuan (downtown MRT station) to Chengchi. Taking the bus or MRT will be inconvenient and physically challenging if you have a lot of luggage and you are traveling during rush hour. Come to OIP If you arrive in Taipei on a weekday between 9am and 5pm, come to OIP. We are located on the seventh floor of the College of Commerce building. Consult the Chengchi Campus Map (PAGE XXX) to locate the College of Commerce within the Chengchi campus. OIP is open Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5pm, except during the summer when the hours are 9am to 12am. What to do if you arrive on a weekend or after OIP closes? If you arrive at a time when OIP is closed, you will need to make your own arrangements for temporary housing. The following is a list of hotels where you may be able to stay. 3 Hotels YMCA 城中會所(Downtown Branch YMCA) 19 Shu-chang St., Taipei. 台北市許昌街 19 號 phone: 886-2-2381-4727 http://www.ymca.org.tw/taipei/downtown/index.htm 福華國際文教會館(Howard International House)台 30 S. Xin-sheng Road, Sec. 3, Taipei. 北市新生南路三段 30 號 phone：886-2-8369-1155 http://www.howard-hotels.com/hotel_ih/ih.asp Single room charges NT2,000 per night CKS Airport Hotel 國際機場旅館 http://www.ckshotel.com.tw Phone:886-3-3833666 Single room charges NT2,900 per night Around Mucha: The most popular recreation sites around Chengchi are Chih-nan Gong, a temple on a hill high above campus; and Mao Kong, a sprawling area of dozens of picturesque teahouses, also on the hillsides above campus. Both are a little too far and steep for comfortable walking, though hikers might enjoy it. Transportation: The Taipei bus system is extensive and cheap; it is also somewhat confusing. Student discounts can be obtained when you buy a (debit) bus card (available at convenience stores). Payment is either upon getting on or getting off the bus; or both, depending on the length of your trip. A bicycle is a good option if you live in Mucha; riding downtown is a little far, at least when the weather is hot or rainy. A second hand bike will cost about 1000 NT, while new bikes are cheap compared to what you would pay in North America or Europe. A taxi from downtown Taipei to Chengchi will cost at least 200 NT. There are three main MRT lines: Blue, Green and Brown. Chengchi is not far from the Taipei Zoo, at the south end of the Brown (Mucha) line. You can also catch a bus (236 or 237) to Chengchi from Kungkuan, on the green Hsintien line. To view a map of Taipei’s MRT system see www.trtc.com.tw . 4 Orientation Course Enrolment: you will be sent a course calendar well before your arrival in Taipei. An English translation of courses will be available once you arrive at Chengchi. OIP staff will provide assistance during course selection, and can help you enroll electronically. The first week of classes is the “add/drop week” during which you may add or drop courses. Textbooks: the most convenient way to get textbooks is ordering through your class representatives (ban dai) – most classes have one, though you may have to ask who he/she is. If you miss ordering through the class representative, you can usually order through the campus bookstore (see map), although this requires that you have the textbook’s serial number; ordering books this way can take up to a week. Student Identification: you will be issued a student identification card at Chengchi; this card can be used for certain student discounts around Taipei, and is required in order to use many Chengchi facilities. Immigration Information: You should have a visitor’s visa for your initial entry to Taiwan. OIP will assist you in your application for a student visa and Alien Resident Card once you are here. The process involves several steps, including a health check performed at a nearby hospital.(for more information, see p10) Costs and Budgeting ✿ The costs of basic items in Taipei ➡ Milk (1L) NT$60 Transportation