Details

• Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)
• MAWiRe-21
• Graduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 4 months
• Contact: Login to see contact information

1. Preparation

Course catalogs are released very close to the start of the semester. You should factor this into your summer planning so that you can submit your requests for course recognition in a timely manner. In addition to the university’s listings, there are also several other websites offering housing (e.g., myroomabroad.com)

2. Accommodation

Chengchi University is located just south of the city. If you’d rather live in the city center than on the outskirts, the Brown Line of the MRT is ideal, as it provides a reliable and quick way to get to the university in the morning. Be prepared for immense heat. I found my room through (myroomabroad.com) and lived with other students (some of whom were from other universities in Taipei).

3. Academic life at host university

Lectures taught in English tend to have relatively small attendance (especially in the law department). This allows you to build a very personal relationship with the instructors, who are very engaged. The campus offers a wide variety of sports facilities; the Olympic-size pool, in particular, is very affordable and not very crowded. The following courses I took throughout the semester: 1. Artificial intelligence and ethics: I wouldnt recommend taking this course, too many students (especially from abroad) for the course design. 2. Contract Law - I would recommend it. A former constitutional court judge who teaches the course, highlighting the similarities between Taiwanese and Austrian law 3. Reviewing and Drafting of English Commercial Documents (III) - It's offered by an American professor who uses an engaging course format to show how to systematically draft and amend contracts. I highly recommend it. 4. Seminar on International Intellectual Property Law (II) - A very friendly professor who provides an introduction to international intellectual property law over the course of the semester. Includes some presentations; small class size. 5. SME Innovation - You can also take courses from the MBA programs. This course includes a theoretical component on SMEs and a practical component that involves visiting six small or medium-sized businesses in Taiwan. Highly recommended. 6. Mandarin Course-Part-time Basic Mandarin - I also took a Mandarin course. If you’re interested in taking one, the beginner’s course provides a great setting to do so. It doesn’t require too much effort, but it’s still enough to allow you to speak and understand a few sentences. I would only recommend the intensive courses if you have a genuine, long-term interest in learning and speaking the language on a regular basis. In general, law students should keep the following in mind: Since we are also listed as exchange students in the Department of Economics, the online registration system only allows us to enroll in courses offered by the Department of Economics. However, at the beginning of the semester, you can get a professor’s signature, which allows you to be manually added to the law courses. This wasn’t a problem for me, since the law courses taught in English had few students, and the professors were very happy to have international students. When I went to have the courses manually added through the administration, they said you can only do this for a maximum of two courses. Just explain the problem and be persistent.

5. Every day life in the host country

Taipei is very well organized. Basically, everything on public transportation is also labeled in English. It’s easy to find your way around. The city is incredibly safe. I’ve never had a single experience to the contrary. The city is very active, and thanks to the affordable prices, everything is very accessible. You absolutely must travel around the country! Despite its small size, you’ll find a wide variety of flora and fauna. The Taiwanese people themselves are very curious, incredibly friendly, and if you’re lucky enough to meet an extrovert, you can easily make friends.

6. Testimonial

Culturally, the country is absolutely fascinating. Everything is different, which means you find yourself constantly in the role of an observer for several months. The beginning can be a bit overwhelming, especially for people who aren’t big fans of the heat. But thanks to the openness and friendliness of the people, you’ll quickly make friends in Taiwan. You should definitely take advantage of opportunities like tea clubs or sports clubs. There, you’ll engage with others and gain many experiences and memories that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.