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Posts: 16

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Q: Mistreatment of foreign students at Jiangxi Unversity of Traditional Chinese medicine.

I'll try to be as brief and as direct as i can be,

The situation at the school is unlike anything i have ever seen, despite coming from a poor country.

 

Crowding in rooms, Poor sanitation, No air conditioners, No stationery for exams. If you talk, you are threatened with expulsion.

Please help #DESPERATE

 

 

8 years 3 hours ago in  Visa & Legalities - China

 
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shandong university medical school in jinan is about 40 thousand a year

shandong agricultural medical school outside jinan in the city of tai ' an is about 18 thousand a year, i have some friends that are from pakistan attending these 2 schools. i would not advise going to  a traditonal medicine school of any kind, but thats another topic.

whoever told you before you left your home country that china is a developed country and does not have poor sanitation, when you get home, beat the hell out of that person and then treat his wounds. tell him your trying to be a compassionate conservative.

BlaBla.Lee:

The school, despite being a school of Traditional chinese medicine offers MBBS, a degree in western medicine and surgery.

8 years 2 hours ago
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8 years 3 hours ago
 
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In addition, The beds cannot accommodate a mattress,  No air conditioners despite snow in winter, over 250 students in a class, leaving the school means restarting the course somewhere else, staying is not practical.

 

we are all fee paying students 24,000 + RMB per year!!

Please suggest alternatives........ From one foreigner to the other, we are desperate! Change is the only hope we have.

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8 years 3 hours ago
 
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shandong university medical school in jinan is about 40 thousand a year

shandong agricultural medical school outside jinan in the city of tai ' an is about 18 thousand a year, i have some friends that are from pakistan attending these 2 schools. i would not advise going to  a traditonal medicine school of any kind, but thats another topic.

whoever told you before you left your home country that china is a developed country and does not have poor sanitation, when you get home, beat the hell out of that person and then treat his wounds. tell him your trying to be a compassionate conservative.

BlaBla.Lee:

The school, despite being a school of Traditional chinese medicine offers MBBS, a degree in western medicine and surgery.

8 years 2 hours ago
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8 years 3 hours ago
 
Posts: 759

Shifu

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OP. Did you even take the time to tour the school before making a commitment?

 

If you did not, why the heck not ?!?!?   Why anyone would go to a school w/o first doing due diligence such as touring the school, talking to current students and staff, etc. is beyond me.

 

If you did tour the school before enrolling, did you not notice the issues that you are currently complaining about ?!

 

IMO, you are as much to blame for your situation as they are...so it seems. When one travels and lives in other countries, one should ALWAYS have an "exit plan", an out so to speak if shiite goes south, etc. be it an situation (national insecurity, strife, natural catastrophe, misleading educational institutes, etc.)

 

Let this be a learning experience for you.  Lastly,  solving grievance issues in China is practically non-existent. 

Shining_brow:

Seriously dude??

 

Chill!

 

Firstly, coming to another country just to check out a university is expensive, and can be a right PITA!

 

Would you also suggest the same for US universities?

 

Yes, they do need to have some sort of an exit plan - but being a student is different to being an employee. Employees normally have more options.

7 years 52 weeks ago
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silverbutton1:

Fair enough, it would be costly to do such, but I feel its wise to do it especially if one plans to be there for a few years to get their degree. Coupling it with a "Vacation to China" would be prudent, as the tour/orientation of the school would allow you to discern if its to ones satisfaction or not.  If one doesnt have the funds and/or time, then one really doesnt have room to moan or complain about the conditions, etc.  "Caveat Emptor".

7 years 51 weeks ago
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Shining_brow:

True, but...

 

The other problem is, the OP has said it was all good up until a few months ago. TIC. Things change.. :(

 

I wonder if there's a business in that? (or has already been started) University tours, like the ones Chinese kids go on to the US, UK & Aus.

7 years 51 weeks ago
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7 years 52 weeks ago
 
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Welcome to China - and in particular, Jiangxi! One of the poorest provinces in China.

 

Sorry to say, but I think you're stuck, unless you find another university. Since you're now here, do as Silver above suggested, and do a tour and research first (don't trust the internets, unless from other students).

 

I first worked in JiuJiang, on the border of Anhui province up north. What you've described is exactly what all of my students had... possibly worse than you! They'd be in the (friggen cold - no heating or aircon in there either!) classrooms with blisters on their lips and fingers - clear signs of frostbite (early stages - discolourations, pustules, etc). Electrical devices were not permitted in their dorms - if they were found, they'd be confiscated (and, obviously, there would be inspections every so often). I believe no hot water for showers unless you paid extra money for it and went to the special hot water showers building (yeap, you really want to be doing that in the middle of winter...).

 

Poor sanitation? You mean, like the STENCH that came from the toilets down the corridor? Because it was the trough-squats? One long trough that all the shit gets flushed down every 2 minutes into one hole?

 

BUT... I believe the international students at that university had better conditions than the Chinese students - they certainly seemed healthier. I think they had less crowding. (and, yes, they were doing MBBS as well - ironically, by teachers from Bangladesh and Nepal...!)

 

Your other option - presuming that you can - is to rent outside the campus. This, obviously, doesn't alleviate the problems in the university, but it does solve some problems.

 

Bigger question - is the education you're receiving worth it? If you're not actually learning anything, and not getting value for your money, then you're just wasting it anyway! Therefore, it's pointless to continue there. If ALL of you are unhappy - then ALL of you need to band together and kick up a stink! 50-100 students all walking out at the same time is really bad news for such universities! Goodbye foreign income!

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7 years 52 weeks ago
 
Posts: 2878

Shifu

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Im not sure what redress there could be. Unless they specifically promised better accommodation it might be tough to get anything back from them.

 

How do the dormitories for local students compare? It might just be that the standard for student accommodation is low across the board and you are being treated no differently (or crazy as it sounds...maybe better) than a local student. I talk to people at work about college dorms and they tell stories of being 8 to a room with bunks and having a squat toilet in the back separated only by a curtain.

 

I mean that's gross...but it's not unusual.

 

Best of luck, I hope you can get into a better situation without having to spend too much extra money but it might be that you just have to stick it out to avoid losing your tuition.

expatlife26:

Chinese aren't big on comfort in the home. Even well off people I know think i'm crazy for heating my house in the winter. More common just to bundle up in clothes all winter even at home. Not how I would want to live either.

7 years 52 weeks ago
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BlaBla.Lee:

Conditions were great before ... excellent facilities and all that. Everything changed last year when they enrolled 500 students split into 2 first year classes.

 

Its just been down hill from there. If  you talk, you will probably end up being expelled or deported for some non existent - Moronic reason.

 

- Sadly school policy says we must live in school, that way they can make us pay for the rooms!!!

7 years 52 weeks ago
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icnif77:

Dial SAFEA and ask them for an advice! They don't bite! In best case, they'll tell you where to turn and what are your options.

 

I always tell them my name, but I guess you could try anonymosly first, unless they ask you for your name.

7 years 52 weeks ago
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expatlife26:

Blabla.Lee, be aware that every time someone calls SAFEA, Icnif gets 10 SAFEA points.

 

30 SAFEA points can be exchanged for $1 SAFEA Dollar, and ten of those can be exchanged for a SAFEA hat...twenty SAFEA dollars gets you a SAFEA plush toy or SAFEA wristwatch

 

So you can understand that Icnif is always trying to get people to call SAFEA...i mean it's not going to kill you to call. But it's not likely to be super helpful either.

7 years 52 weeks ago
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icnif77:

It looks, you always get fresh pimpl, when you read 'SAFEA' here.

I can't help it, but if I write 'FEB' instead, I'll have to explain what that means later.

Don't worry for the pimpls, it's not because of 'SAFEA'. That thingy you got is hormonal. 

7 years 52 weeks ago
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expatlife26:

and how many SAFEA points do you get for each snide remark?

7 years 52 weeks ago
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Englteachted:

Safea is possibly your best option but they might just flat out ignore you because you're not technically under their responsibility. 

7 years 51 weeks ago
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icnif77:

Yeah, it might happened they would ignore it, but I guess they would surely advice what to do and where to turn. My experience!

7 years 51 weeks ago
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7 years 52 weeks ago
 
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If you think you're gonna improve the situation there, you're a bigger idiot than I imagine. So why post this question? Your best option is to leave and start over somewhere else (another country). In China, once they have your money, you're screwed. Do your homework and research carefully.

But I think this a troll from their misuse of '#' but this could just be an idiot

jetfire9000:

Not completely screwed, enrollment fees can be repaid in many cases, just a struggle in some cases 

7 years 52 weeks ago
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7 years 52 weeks ago
 
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you could do what the medical students in jinan do, they get an illegal job with web english making 10 thousand a month and get an apartment and make the situation bearable on their own terms, not sure how they get away with this but they have for 6 years i have been here.

icnif77:

That's the best advice I can read here. Everything else except 'tities' post is long English blabbering. Up for both posts!

7 years 52 weeks ago
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Shining_brow:

Jiangxi - not going to happen :(

7 years 52 weeks ago
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I strongly doubt this poster. A school in Jiangxi has attracted close to 500 students? BS Especially to study TCM?

Hotwater:

It could be a fake story but you obviously didn't read all the details later. The OP claims he is doing a Western medicine MBBS. 

7 years 51 weeks ago
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Shining_brow:

It's not to study TCM - it's just called that.

 

Do you think that Technical colleges only teach technical subjects? Or Science and Technology only teach sciences & engineering? Do 'Normal" universities only teach normals??

 

500 students is going to be quite possible if the advertise really low fees. But they usually also have Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, etc  teachers who are going to be paid vastly less than teachers in the better medical schools.

7 years 51 weeks ago
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7 years 51 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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from what blabla says it sounds like things were OK and then this year they changed the policy or started ignoring it in order to ramp up tuition received without increasing costs to match.

 

Maybe there is some kind of redress for that, if it changed so dramatically they may well be violating some regulations. If they are threatening students not to complain...maybe you guys are on to something.

 

I take it back, you should call some govt agency. I'm not sure if SAFEA is the right one but do some research and find out who has authority.

 

Good luck.

icnif77:

What does 'SAFEA' stand for? Do you have contacted no.?

7 years 51 weeks ago
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Shining_brow:

State Administration for Foreign Experts Affairs. Students aren't classed as 'experts'.

7 years 51 weeks ago
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icnif77:

Thx,  Shining. 

7 years 51 weeks ago
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7 years 51 weeks ago
 
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Ummm, if you don't like it there you could always transfer to a place more suitable for you. Just sayin'.

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7 years 51 weeks ago
 
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Have you gathered evidence through pictures and email correspondence as to any discrepancy between what you were promised and what your living conditions are like?

 

have you presented this evidence to your student officer?

 

is it only you complaining or the whole group?

 

have you contacted your embassy or consulate ( not that they can probably do anything) with said evidence?

 

or is this the first place you have mentioned your conditions?

 

so many questions......

 

it is April now.

Have you been in the university since last September and tolerated this until now?

BlaBla.Lee:

we have collected all that info, we are trying to see who to give it to with the best possible outcome ... I have been with the school 3 years now, it was all good until september last year!! NO B.S they have 500 + students in first year alone ... majority are from india and pakistan.

 

We just dont know who will actually  help change the situation. we have the evidence!

7 years 51 weeks ago
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expatlife26:

It's not super likely that Q1 2016 suddenly there is an explosion in the # of applicants to this school.

 

Probably what would have happened there is that there was a guideline on the number of students they could accept that they are now ignoring. Or perhaps that guideline was relaxed in order to pump up revenue.

 

Who knows? but if things changed that dramatically it's likely something changed in terms of policy, or the school decided to do something illegal

7 years 51 weeks ago
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sorrel:

all of you should contact and send copies of the evidence to your home country newspapers, family and friends so it can be published online for all to see, especially if the university is threatening you.

make sure all correspondence is clear and unambiguous so there is no opportunity for the uni to have 'misunderstood' your concerns.

This is basic stuff.

 

Emails between yourselves and the school on this matter are the most important as they will show you tried to address the issue peacefully and within the university - if they resorted to threats first you have a stronger case.

 

if you are all from different countries, all contact your respective embassies at the same time.

 

You best option is publicity in your home countries - get copies of the evidence to people at home immediately.

 

once the evidence has been communicated back home, the threat of public exposure may change the mind of the University to do anything.

 

in my book, if i have peaceably given someone the opportunity to remedy a situation more than once, and they have refused to do anything and resorted to bullying threats, then there is no necessity to save their face internationally.  

 

and that is essentially what this uni is trying to do - bully you into doing nothing, so call their bluff

 

7 years 51 weeks ago
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Shining_brow:

To add to Sorrel's great ideas - I'm presuming that most of you had some university education back home first, before deciding to come here - contact those universities and let them know about how bad this thing is, so they don't keep putting up ads.

 

Where did you hear about this program? That's where you target! Use the same advertising resources they do.

7 years 51 weeks ago
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Posts: 86

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same as Qingdao university which is run by some crooks.

Shining_brow:

This implies there are universities that are NOT run by some crooks... Some just know how to do it better.

7 years 51 weeks ago
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7 years 51 weeks ago
 
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Again, so glad I got out of this continent of crooks and farm animals.

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7 years 51 weeks ago
 
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A:  "... through ..."?  Only "through" comes to mind is "S
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