| Deciding which university and where to go to learn | | | | financial, commercial, industrial and communications |
| Mandarin in China can cause a huge headache. A | | | | centers. |
| country with a population of over 1,321,851,888 | | | | ? Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) was |
| people, is equivalent to covering over 1/5 of the | | | | established in 1896, now standing as one of the |
| world’s population. China is also the fourth | | | | oldest and most significant university in China. |
| largest in area with territory in the world. We are | | | | SJTU has more than 1420 professors, with more |
| here to help you to define 4-6 top universities to | | | | than 100 of them being famous scientists and |
| learn Mandarin, across the 3 top cities in China. | | | | specialists. SJTU has over 38,000 full-time enrolled |
| Beijing being the cultural, political and educational | | | | students, and a wide variety of courses to |
| centre, and the origin of the “official | | | | choose from. The Ministry of Education and the |
| language” (Mandarin) of China, is the most | | | | Shanghai Government jointly runs SJTU. |
| recommended place to learn Mandarin. Below are | | | | ? Fudan University, established in 1905 “is one |
| the top 3 universities in Beijing. | | | | of the oldest leading, co-educational, and most |
| ? Beijing Language & Culture University (BLCU) | | | | selective universities in the People’s Republic |
| was founded in 1962, and has the longest history | | | | of China.” Fudan University ranked highest in |
| of specialising in teaching Mandarin and Chinese | | | | their physical and social sciences. |
| culture to foreigners. There are foreigners coming | | | | Guangzhou is the third most populous metropolitan |
| from over 160 countries studying Mandarin at | | | | area in China. Due to labour costs increasing in |
| BLCU, and today it has more than 800 full-time | | | | Hong Kong, this has opened doors for Guangzhou |
| teaching staff. | | | | – more and more manufacturers have |
| ? Tsinghua University (THU), established since | | | | opened new plants here. This has led Guangzhou |
| 1911, has a reputation of the most Chinese | | | | to be one of China’s wealthiest cities, but it |
| universities placing Tsinghua as the highest ranking | | | | also attracts farmers coming into the city looking |
| university in China. Their promising motto | | | | for factory work. There are two famous |
| “Self-discipline and Social Commitment” | | | | universities in Guangzhou, the Sun Yat-sen |
| explains it all. The most common course taken | | | | University, and Jinan University (JNU). |
| here are their accounting courses, by reason of | | | | Usually in universities, the teacher to student ratio |
| signed agreements with ACCA (Association of | | | | for learning Mandarin Chinese classes is usually |
| Chartered Certified Accountants). | | | | 1:20. There are short term and long term courses |
| Since Shanghai was one of the world’s | | | | to choose from. The short term courses usually |
| busiest ports in 2005, it has become the largest | | | | last for up to1 semester (around 4 months). The |
| cargo port in the world then. Shanghai’s | | | | long term courses usually last for 1 year to 2 |
| modern lifestyle has attracted many foreigners to | | | | years (2 to 4 semesters). All short term and long |
| come and learn Mandarin, as well as many | | | | term courses/programs usually start at the end |
| multinational businesses to have a headquarter | | | | of February (after Chinese New Year) till mid-July, |
| office in Shanghai. This westernised and modern | | | | and the fall semesters usually start in early |
| city is one of China’s most vital cultural, | | | | September, and end in mid-January. |