UTAR warmly welcomed the arrival of 11 students from Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine and Yangzhou University in China for a three-month exchange programme. Hosted by UTAR Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, the group of students attended classes at Sungai Long Campus for the whole three months.

With the aim to provide a platform for the students to share their feedback on their university experiences and personal encounters, a tea meeting was held on 6 November 2019. Speaking at the tea meeting, Centre for Research in Traditional Chinese Medicine Chairperson-cum-Department of Chinese Medicine Head Assoc Prof Dr Te Kian Keong encouraged the students to enjoy life on campus and create memories at the University. He gave a brief introduction about UTAR and explained the development of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in Malaysia. He mentioned that TCM has been recognised by the Ministry of Health in Malaysia and it has been integrated as part of the mainstream healthcare system. “TCM’s expansion in Malaysia is increasingly optimistic and the talents are concentrated in Malaysia,” he said.  He also urged the students to adapt to the new environment and hoped that they could return to their home country with a new perspective.

Chen Cheng, the teacher of the students expressed his appreciation to Dr Te and to those who helped them arrange the programme and courses. He shared his experiences in UTAR and Malaysia, and he sincerely hoped that the students could immerse themselves in the new culture, potentially learning a new language, making new friends and experiencing the world from a different viewpoint. He said, “When communicating with people from different cultural backgrounds if you know something about their culture, it will quickly help you build a relationship with them.” He also hoped that the students could encourage each other and help each other in learning which could lead to big dividends in students’ academic success.

One of the exchange students Chen Jiajun from Yangzhou University said the programme had offered him a unique opportunity for cultural immersion and in-depth academic learning. “Studying here was a good experience and eye-opener for me. I was able to gain an international perspective through my programme of study,” he said. Another student from Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine Li Dongzong said, “Malaysia is a diverse country, consisting of people from diverse backgrounds, both culturally and linguistically. As compared to China universities, the duration of classes in Malaysia is longer. The contents of the courses, taught by the lecturers, are more comprehensive. It requires a higher level of concentration.” Sharing the purpose of joining the programme, he said that he wanted to broaden his horizon and experience a different culture.  

Unlike the others who took up the TCM course, Hu Xinzi together with her two friends—Wang Yanfeng and Xu Ziqing were nursing students. “This is my first time participating in an exchange programme. I’ve attended some classes and was able to learn a lot from interacting with the students and lecturers,” she said. Talking about the challenges encountered, she said, “Chinese international students will normally have difficulties in speaking English. Although reading is not a problem, poor spoken English will still lead to communication problems. There were also some complex anatomy terms that we had to learn. However, I had improved both my speaking and listening. My classmates are very friendly and helpful. I would usually ask them questions to clear my doubts.”

Wang, on the hand, said, “We found out that people in Malaysia are passionate. Same goes to the lecturers. They are friendly and approachable.” She highlighted the importance of feeling welcomed and Malaysia did give her a sense of belonging and made her feel appreciated. Xu Ziqing also commented that it was a great experience to study in Malaysia. “I love the blue sky of Malaysia and it reminds me of Yunnan,” she said.

Another student Xu Miaomiao, who wore a cheongsam and a warm smile addressed her hope to understand the different cultures in Malaysia and to know the development of TCM in other countries.  She commented that the TCM in Malaysia was unique and well-developed. “Before I came to UTAR, I was worried about having to adapt an entirely new and foreign environment. Since Malaysia is a multicultural country with a much more complex society, I thought it would be more challenging for me but the truth is, I can adapt well because people here are very friendly and helpful,” she said.

The tea meeting then ended with a laboratory tour and group photography.