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[2canucks]

Has anyone had any experience (positive or negative) with this school? Thanks for any replies

[xinpu]

Yeah worked there part time last semester.

This is a standard 3rd tier Chinese HE institute that has a teaching relationship with Wigan & Leigh College in the UK (possibly the worst college in the UK). I would summarize it as follows

Location: Recently sold it's city based campus for financial reasons and is now solely based in Xianlin University city. This a newly purpose built univeristy town about 10k's from downtown Nanjing. It's a fairly souless place with little / nothing by way of entertainment.

Transport takes the form of a school bus in the evening or otherwise a 45 min public bus ride (1 kuai..take your MP3 and something to read). A taxi will set you back about 50-60 kuai for the trip - ok if there are few of you after a night out to share the cost.

There is a supermarket a taxi ride away (private cars - 5 kuai around the University city) but as far as I know there's no bars / restaurants nearby (you'll have to trek into town).

On the plus side the sports facilities are good, running track, gym, artifical pitch, tennis courts across the road as well at the Phys Ed college. Also indoor football every wednesday evening at another school on nearby (FT's / expats / Chinese - good mix)

Accomodation is good - nice new clean apartments, no complaints there.

Teaching facilities very good - nice new clean classrooms, with multimedia (with added bonus viruses in every PC!!)

FT's: Very high turnover historically however a former colleague of mine is currently working there and he says there are another two FT's so with a group of 5 or so you'll not be as isolated as those in the past.

Foreign Affairs / Management: Par for the course for lower level chinese institutions. The FAO was ok as far as I was concerned although I know that the Canadian who was working there full time last semester would disagree.

I think the fact they are recuiting now for positions to be filled for this term gives you a good idea of their style. Summary - ok people but not the most efficient.

Students: Mosly from Jiangsu and mostly rural kids, not the brightest and most seemed quite disillusioned with the college (again not unusual for chinese colleges). Slightly hostile atmosphere on campus, plenty of 'take the piss' "hello's" when you are walking around..which is unusual for a college.

Interest in English low - there are no English majors here (although they mentioned there is an International Business Course that has a stronger emphasis on English that the plain 'college english' component) so you will have to get used to a higher than normal level of apathy.

I think it will all depend on the course you are teaching and the points associated with passing the course. I have a sneaky suspicion that I was asked to teach to justify the higher course fees for the partnership course with the UK college. No ponts for passing the course plus it started mid-way through the term - as a result kids placed no value on it at all and behaved accordingly.

Summary: with a group of FT's this place could be bearable, the teaching is quite fustrating and unrewarding but with a suport group of other FT's you could make a go of it.

Amy more info let me know.