The presentation was aimed at students of the Institute who are interested in having the chance to use and develop their Mandarin language skills on the spot in Taiwan. It was well attended by about 30 students.

The presentation began with giving the students information about programs offering scholarships for Austrian students to study in Taiwan: Taiwan Scholarships to study for a degree, and the Huayu Enrichment Scholarships to study Mandarin Chinese for six months, or a year, or on a four-week-summer-course. Practical details such as prerequisites for applying, application materials, and deadlines were all covered. The Education Division personnel also talked about the TOCFL Chinese language proficiency test which is held annually in Vienna. Participation in the test is a condition for applying for some scholarships.

Mr. Martin Mandl, a student of Sinology who received a summer course grant, then spoke about his experience in Taiwan this summer. He talked about about the Mandarin course at National Cheng Kung University, the progress he made while studying there, and the possibility of having the credits acquired in Taiwan count towards the Sinology degree program in Austria. This last point is highly attractive to students currently deciding whether to follow his example.

Julia Ritirc, president of the Taiwan Alumni in Austria and a Sinology lecturer at the University of Vienna then spoke about some practical aspects of studying in Taiwan, such as how to choose a university, accommodation, food culture, and the ease of public transport, and so on. She showed photos from her travels and gave practical advice about life in Taiwan.

The audience showed great interest in the programs after hearing these two enthusiastic reports based on personal experience in Taiwan, and the presentation concluded with a lively Q&A session.

The Education Division provided flyers about the scholarships and the summer program, and working holiday visas, and TOCFL practice books for the students to take home to help them decide whether or not to apply. And the session finished with handing out a complimentary snack from a Taiwanese restaurant in Vienna, to give the students a tiny taste of the culinary adventures awaiting them in Taiwan!