Partner Universities of the Month (May 2020)

In April we will be presenting the Universidad de León in Spain and the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST) in Taipei, Taiwan.

Market scene in the northern Spanish city of León (Image: Txo - gemeinfrei auf Wikimedia)

When it comes to relaxed living, hardly any country comes as close to paradise as Spain: summer, sun, beach and sea - that is what we think of when we talk about the Mediterranean nation. But the German's favorite holiday destination has much more to offer!

Well, beach and sea, unfortunately, are not what you find here in León. The city with its 450.000 inhabitants is located about two hours away from the Atlantic Ocean in the north of Spain.  However, there is plenty of sun here. If the weather is good, you can easily explore nature by hiking, cycling, climbing and even skiing in the province of the same name around the city of León! Other sports such as basketball or handball are also popular here, and the teams can often times look back on long traditions.

When the sun disappears behind the horizon, the lights in León do not go out for a long time. There a lot of bars and restaurants to be discovered in the city. Typically, Spanish people have dinner much later than is usual in Germany. León is especially famous for its old tapas tradition. Here, you do not simply eat the little appetizers all by themselves, instead they are served with drinks. This tradition has meanwhile disappeared in almost every other city. Well saturated (and maybe a little drunk) you continue to the clubs in the nightlife district "Barrio Húmedo".

If you prefer a quieter atmosphere, you will also get your money's worth. Culturally, the city is full of cultural highlights: Not only the Romans have left their mark here with the foundation of the city, but also newer buildings like the impressive gothic cathedral in the city center or the "Casa Botines", one of the few buildings outside Catalonia built by the famous Antonio Gaudí, influence León's cityscape. Last but not least, León is located at the Way of Saint James. Every year, a large number of people take on this pilgrimage.

Universidad de León - Fakulty of Economics (Image: Tercerolade - gemeinfrei auf Wikimedia)

You see: a completely new world is open to our exchange students. Since 2014, students of the Faculty of Economics and Law of TH Köln have had the opportunity to spend a semester abroad at Universidad de León, founded in 1843. Here they can experience together with more than 12,000 other students what makes Spain special. Other well-known Spanish personalities have already studied at Universidad de León, such as the former Prime Minister of Spain, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. You won't be lonely here either, as the student organisation EGEE offers students a wide range of activities and events that will let adventurers explore not only León!

There is only one thing left to say: ¡Vamos!

Up to the next level (Image: Leander Ulrich)

Do you want to experience Chinese culture outside of China? In case you’ve already been to New York City’s Chinatown and that experience wasn’t authentic enough for your taste, how about spending a semester abroad in Taiwan, which calls itself “Republic of China”. Thanks to its geographic location close to China and the common history both countries share, the island nation is heavily influenced by Chinese culture.

The island is about half the size of the federal state of Bavaria and situated north of the Philippines, right between the East China Sea and the South China Sea. Its capitol, Taipei, is located in the north of the country. Almost three million people choose to live here.

NTUST (Image: Alan Sung / gemeinfrei auf Wikimedia)

If you want to study in Taipei, spending a semester at our partner university Taiwan Tech might interest you – entirely free of tuition fees, thanks to our cooperation. Every student of TH Köln can apply for an exchange two times a year in the fields of chemical engineering, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, architecture, electrical engineering, design or economics.

The pubic university was founded in 1974 as “National Taiwan Institute of Technology” and has only acquired the status of a university in 1997. Since then, it is aptly named “National Taiwan University of Science and Technology”. Nowadays it is among the eleven best universities of Taiwan, with over 11.000 students across five campuses.

Studying in Taipei means studying in a Metropolis that is the politic, economic, educational and cultural focal point of Taiwan. At the same time, it represents one of the most important pivotal points in East Asia.

Do you want to get out of the big city at the weekend and switch off? As an island, Taiwan offers diversity in a very small area: mountains, beaches, waterfalls and hot springs are usually within easy reach and provide a holiday feeling and relaxation from university life.