Perceptions of Students

Thailand

Twin Yoshua


University
Yuan Ze University
Major
Business and administration not elsewhere classified


I am a first year of Ph.D. student in Yuan Ze University but I have been living in Taiwan since 2015, because I also got my master degree in Yuan Ze University. I am now also a lecturer in my origin country for Industrial Engineering Department in Universitas Atma Jaya Yogyakarta.



1. WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO STUDY IN TAIWAN?



 At that time, I asked my friend that had studied in Yuan Ze University. She informed me about the campus and Taiwan. Then I found that Taiwan has high quality of education, and good environment for foreigners to study abroad. I also decided to study in Taiwan, because I have been desiring to learn Chinese, and I think Taiwan is still the best place for learning Chinese (use traditional characters).



2. BRIEFLY TELL US ABOUT THE PROGRAM YOU ARE STUDYING. WHAT SUBJECTS ARE YOU STUDYING? WHAT HAVE YOU ENJOYED THE MOST IN YOUR STUDIES?



Since my master degree until now, I am studying in Industrial Engineering and Management Dept, focus on Human Factors and Ergonomics (人因工程) field. This field learn about how we design a system or tools in an industry (manufacturing and service) that considering the human factors such as body measurement, workload capacity, and also cognitive psychology. Therefore, we design something use human-centered principle. I really enjoy to learn this field because the researches will always contribute for increasing the human life quality and productivity. Now, I am doing a research that involve the Artificial Intelligence and Big Data analysis subjects to make a tool that help the system in industry ergonomically. 



3. HOW IS STUDYING IN TAIWAN WHEN COMPARED TO STUDYING AND BEING A STUDENT IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY? (TEACHING QUALITY、ENVIRONMENT、SCHOOL EQUIPMENT、LABORATORY OR OTHERS)



From my insight, Taiwan has more research oriented education culture than in my home country (especially for master degree or above). I found in my campus and other campus in Taiwan, the projects in most of courses we took, are research oriented. The teachers encourage us to have research thinking by let us do our project. Therefore, after finishing the project, then we have ability to design a research for our thesis and or dissertation. The school facilities and laboratory in Taiwan are also have better quality to support our research.



4. WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST DIFFICULT PART ABOUT APPLYING TO STUDY IN TAIWAN? HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THE DIFFICULTY?



The most difficult for me is to get the stipend scholarship. During my master degree in Yuan Ze University, I just got tuition fee scholarship. Therefore, I needed to work in certain part-time jobs. I worked as staff helper in my department office, the Facebook fanpage administrator for a motherboard brand in Taiwan, and also as teaching assistant. These jobs helped me to survive in Taiwan for two years of my master degree.



5. WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO AFTER YOU HAVE FINISH YOUR STUDIES IN TAIWAN? WOULD YOU LIKE TO STAY IN TAIWAN?  WHY? 



I will go back to Indonesia and continue my work as lecturer in my home university in Indonesia. I will transfer the research culture that I got during study in Taiwan, to the students and my team in the campus.



6. HOW DO YOU THINK STUDYING IN TAIWAN CAN BENEFIT YOU IN YOUR FUTURE CAREER?



The research thinking that I have been receiving, will support my lecturer career to be the professor in my country. Because as a professor in the future, I need to have not only teaching ability but also research skill. Not many lecturers in my country have passion for doing some research, sometimes they do just because of the regulation not the passion for doing a contributive research. Therefore, studying in Taiwan surely support for my future career.



7. WHAT DO YOU SEE AS YOUR KEY ACHIEVEMENTS WHEN STUDYING IN TAIWAN?



My key achievement is lean on Jesus. It sounds cliché, but it works for my achievement. By having good relationship with God, I can have good relationship with people around me and it helps me to adapt with the environment faster. Fast adaptation ability to the new culture in education system, pressure, environment, language, and culture is important thing for foreign students to have in Taiwan.



8. WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER INTERESTED OVERSEAS STUDENTS WHO WANT TO COME TO TAIWAN TO STUDY?



Actually, I have recommended Taiwan to my twin brother for his Ph.D. degree. Now, he also studying Ph.D. in National Central University as MOE scholarship awardee. I advised the research culture and scholarship opportunity to him and then he interested to these benefits. I am also doing a ministry in church for helping people that want to continue their study here, by preparing a basic information about study abroad in Taiwan, even guide them to apply in specific universities. This semester I am helping three people to apply the university in Taiwan. i