Milan, the capital of fashion, soccer superstars Baggio, Versace, Prada and Gucci .................................................................................................................................................... According to statistics, there were only 40 China students studying in Italy in 2003 and 70 in 2004. With the approaching of "China-Italy Cultural Year" in 2006 and the increasingly close communication between China and Italy, Italy has gradually become a new direction for students to study abroad. It is reported that nearly 500 students have studied in Italy in 2005, and the Italian government will provide 1500 overseas study places for China students in 2006. So, is it time for China students to study in Italy? What are the unique features of Italian higher education? What problems will China Student Union encounter?
In order to attract China students to study in Italy, the Italian University Presidents' Foundation specially formulated the "Kelpolo Plan" at the end of last year. More than 40 Italian universities participate in the program, which provides convenience for China students from three aspects: first, the relevant departments of the two countries set up offices in China and China to provide consulting services for students, including information on the professional settings and learning environment of Italian schools; Second, relevant Italian institutions will fund some China scholars to conduct research in Italian scientific research institutions; 3. The Foundation will arrange some graduates from China University to participate in professional practice activities in Italian enterprises. In cooperation with the University of Florence, the Cultural Office of the Italian Embassy in China has specially designed a master's program for China students, which lasts for one year. Specializing in cultural relics protection, art design, law, agriculture and so on. In the two large-scale international education exhibitions held this year, Italy organized delegations to participate, and more than a dozen famous universities, including Milan National University, participated in them on an unprecedented scale.
Italy will increase its efforts to attract students from China. According to the plan, the Italian government will provide 65,438+0,500 overseas study places for China students in 2006, and more than 30 famous universities will participate in the enrollment, including more than 70 famous Italian public schools such as the University of Milan, the University of Rome, the University of Perugia and the University of Florence. The application will begin in April next year.
In addition, the Italian Consulate General in Shanghai has set up a visa application center in Shanghai since this year 10/0/4. The visa center is located in China Guangfa Bank in Xuhui District, providing various visa services, accepting applications according to the appointment time and submitting them to the Consulate General in time. The Consulate General will arrange interviews and evaluations in the shortest time. At the same time, the Italian side has also opened the related website www. I-talyvac.cn, so that applicants can keep abreast of the application process through online inquiry or hotline.
Three selling points of higher education
According to Jun Chen, a senior consultant studying in Italy, Italian higher education has a unique advantage, but "it is conceived in the inner room and nobody knows about it".
■ All public universities are free.
Italian higher education has a long history, and many universities have a history of more than 500 years. There are 77 comprehensive universities in Italy, most of which are public universities, all of which are free of tuition. In Italy, there is little difference in teaching quality between public universities and private universities, and degrees and diplomas are recognized globally. Italian universities implement the policy of lenient entry and strict exit, and the entry conditions are relatively low, and all high school graduates can apply. However, if students don't work hard, they may not be able to graduate within the prescribed number of years. Usually, the short-term undergraduate education system is 3 years, the long-term undergraduate education system is 5 years, the master 1-2 years, and the doctor is 3 years.
■ The design major is world-class.
Italy is the birthplace of the European Renaissance and has profound artistic connotation. Therefore, Italian higher education is in a leading position in the world in music, painting, fashion design, sculpture, archaeology, cultural relics protection and architecture, and has its own characteristics in physics, philosophy, law, medicine and agriculture. Design major is the fist product of Italian higher education, such as industrial design, fashion design, architectural design, jewelry design and so on. In addition, the course of Economic Engineer is also suitable for China students, which is equivalent to an MBA in Britain and the United States, and lasts for five years.
■ You can work after school.
Italian law stipulates that foreign students can work 20 hours a week. According to the Italian labor wage standard 60 yuan RMB/hour, China students can earn about 4-5 thousand RMB per month, which can greatly reduce the economic burden. However, there are not many job opportunities for China students with weak language skills.
Three points for studying in Italy
■ Language threshold
Most courses in Italian universities are taught in Italian, and foreign students need to take a language test when they enter school. China students' first foreign language is English, and their Italian foundation is weak. Moreover, there is little related training in China. At present, only several training institutions such as Shanghai Eurowind Training Center and Shanghai International Language Institute provide Italian training services.
■ red tape
The application procedures for studying in Italy are complicated, and applicants need to provide a lot of supporting materials, which makes many China students discouraged. In this regard, the Italian Cultural Office and the Visa Office are considering simplifying visa procedures, but this situation will take some time to change.
■ Poor channels
Because Italy has just opened the market for studying abroad, and the language barrier, the channels for China students to learn about studying in Italy are not smooth. It is understood that many Italian universities offered 1500 places to China applicants this year, which was a waste because most students didn't understand it.
Related links
Recommended by famous Italian schools → University of Milan: One of the largest universities in Italy, * * * has 70 graduate schools offering 77 degree courses, and its dominant majors are science, engineering and medicine.
→ University of Rome: the largest national university in Italy, with 265,438+0 colleges and 65,438+030 departments. The courses taught in English include master's degrees in government management and humanities affairs.
→ University of Florence: a representative of modern Italian institutions of higher learning, with a very famous architecture major.
→ University of Padua: * * There are 13 colleges, which are very strong in the research of culture and natural sciences, especially in the field of medical research.
→ Maraoni Fashion Design Institute: known as the most famous fashion institute in Italy and one of the three major professional fashion institutions in the world. College teachers come from the fashion industry veterans, and students have rich internship opportunities.
→ Italian European Design Institute: Known as the "cradle of designers", it has branches in Milan, Rome and Berlin. , including design college, fashion college, image art college, new technology network college, etc. Its professional courses include industrial design, fashion design, jewelry design, photography, etc.
Bologna Art Institute: It has a high artistic status in Europe, and its professional courses include painting, decoration and drama design. There are also many elective courses, such as painting restoration, photography, aesthetics, stone carving technology, etc.
→ Naples Conservatory of Music: It has a history of hundreds of years and has trained many famous musicians. The curriculum covers almost all music fields, such as opera singing, guitar, composition, orchestral conductor, jazz, piano and so on.
4. Spanish ace majors and public universities for studying abroad
Sunny beaches, passionate flamenco dance, mighty bullring and delicious paella make Spain a global tourist destination. However, in the global study abroad market, Spain lags far behind European countries such as Britain and France. It is understood that there are currently less than 2,000 China students studying in Spain. Since the beginning of this year, the Spanish study abroad market has launched a series of measures: in May, the Spanish Cultural and Education Office was established, and at the same time, more than 10 Spanish universities were organized to attend the international education exhibition in China, which was the first time that Spanish universities went abroad on a large scale; In June+10, 5438, AECI launched a scholarship program for students from non-EU countries. Spanish universities have also launched international education programs. According to Ye Yuhong, a senior consultant of Shanghai Education Service Co., Ltd., under the dual role of the government and universities, and Spanish is the third largest language in the world, it plays an important role in international trade. With the increasing foreign economic and trade exchanges in China, the domestic demand for Spanish talents is increasing, and the career prospects are promising. Therefore, studying in Spain is expected to become a new hot spot of education investment.
Highlights: Undergraduate and doctoral public education is free.
As one of the earliest member States of the European Union, Spain has inherited the European educational style and system, with public schools as the mainstay, while private schools are less than other big countries studying abroad. Undergraduate education in Spanish public universities is free of tuition, and international students only need to pay a small registration fee. The tuition fee for master's courses in public universities is determined by each university, which is generally around 2000-3000 euros per year. Doctoral education takes about 3-5 years, and international students can also enjoy various allowances and scholarships without tuition fees. In addition, Spain implements the same social welfare for international students as its own citizens.
Difficulties: Have a language foundation before studying abroad.
Spain's visa policy does not require high funds, but requires applicants to have corresponding language skills and at least 500 hours of Spanish learning experience, which is a necessary condition for applying for a visa. Although there is no hard and fast rule on the Spanish proficiency of applicants, there is usually an interview when applying for a visa. Therefore, it is best for applicants to have a certain Spanish foundation, otherwise it will be very difficult. And in Spain, all universities except MBA teach in Spanish. Without a language foundation, learning is extremely difficult. Most China students have to study the language for 9 months to 1 year in their first year in Spain. Spain's visa policy does not require IELTS, TOEFL and other scores.
Although language is the threshold for studying in Spain, learning Spanish well is conducive to opening up career development space. Spanish is the third largest language in the world and plays an important role in world political and economic exchanges. With China's accession to the WTO, economic and trade exchanges with Spain and South America are increasing, and the demand for Spanish talents will continue to increase. At present, China is short of talents who can master Spanish. Therefore, being familiar with Spanish can effectively enhance the competitive advantage.
What ace majors are there?
Spain has more than 100 universities, more than 300 world-famous professional universities and research centers, with very rich professional categories. On the whole, Spain is a global tourism destination, with tourism revenue accounting for 10% of the world. Therefore, the majors of hotel management, tourism management and scenic spot management in Spanish universities are very distinctive. Art major is another ace major in Spain, with strong professional strength in architecture, interior design, computer animation production, art exhibition, news photography, fashion design and so on. Spain's music major is world-class, with more than 40 conservatories, among which the Royal Conservatory of Music in Madrid is the top professional school in the world. In addition, business administration, environmental policy and management, library science and telecommunication engineering are also brand-name products of Spanish higher education.
2. What are the public universities?
■ Autonomous University of Barcelona: At present, it has signed student exchange agreements with 146 universities around the world and is recognized as one of the best universities in Europe; The major involves biology, environmental science, electronics, enterprise management, manager management, normal education, law, tourism, hotels and other fields.
Complutense University: In 2004, Spanish public universities ranked first, with 20 colleges, 6 specialties and 184 departments, mainly covering four fields: humanities, natural sciences and precision sciences, health sciences and social sciences.
Catalan University of Technology: Strong in teaching and research fields such as architecture, engineering, shipping, economy, health science and applied mathematics.
IESE Business School in Spain: ranked in the Financial Times Global Top 100 MBA in 2004 18, and it is one of the top management schools in Europe.
University of Granada: jointly managed by European University Alliance Group, Oxford University and Cambridge University, it ranks 5th in academic theory, education, research and publishing.
University of Salamanca: It has a long history and enjoys a high reputation in law, medicine, philosophy and literature.
Three ways to study in Spain
Undergraduate graduates: to apply for the same or related major, the credits must be evaluated by the department where the public university is located. After passing the examination, you can directly enter the second stage of public universities, Li Cen -ciatura (that is, undergraduate), and obtain a national diploma; Or apply for the third stage doctor (doctor) to obtain the national diploma; Or apply for a master's degree and get a college diploma.
College graduates: to apply for the same or related major, the credits must be evaluated by the department where the public university is located. After passing the examination, you can directly enter the second stage of public universities and obtain a national diploma; Or take the entrance examination of Spanish universities, and you can choose your major at will; Or apply for a master's degree and get a college diploma.
College students: Undergraduates from regular universities in China (who have completed at least one year of university study) will go to Spanish universities for further study in the form of applying for the conversion of credits from the same major in Spain, but whether the credits are equivalent or not is decided by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Culture.
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6. The Foreign Affairs Office of the University is responsible for allocating study places for foreign students in Germany. If the application is for the summer semester (April 1 start), you must submit the study application before June 65438+1October 15; If the application is for the winter semester (1 October1day 10), the application must be submitted before July 15.
In addition to the application form, the materials submitted must also be notarized by the admission notice of China universities or the copy of the middle school graduation certificate; Secondary school diploma in translation; 3 photos identical to the passport; A resume needs to accurately indicate all stages of education, including your school, exams you have taken, etc. Certificate of academic qualifications of current university; German language certificate, which proves that you have enough German level; The applicant must also attach the certificate of "Zerertificat der Akademischen Prü fstelle" issued by the German overseas student audit department.
The foreign affairs offices of German universities can provide advice on learning problems for international students, review university admission qualifications and issue admission notices. The preparatory courses of universities and German classes run by universities are also the tasks of this institution. The admission notice issued by the university not only provides learning qualifications, but all applicants who need to obtain a study visa must attach the admission notice when applying for a visa.
Foreign students can apply for universities in Germany through ASSIST. The full name of ASSIST is arbeits-und services tellefuer international e studienbewerbungen, which can be translated as: foreign students apply for university services. ASSIST is a joint working organization established in June 2003 by the German Academic Exchange Center, the joint meeting of German university presidents and member universities. Its main task is to verify the application materials of all foreign students and certify their admission qualifications, so as to reduce the application pressure of universities facing the increasing number of foreign students and standardize the application procedures of foreign students.
ASSIST's office is in Berlin, and all materials applied for its member institutions are sent to Berlin for centralized examination and certification. Students who meet the requirements transfer to the school they want to attend through ASSIST. Colleges and universities decide whether to accept students according to the applicant's situation and the actual situation of the school. The final decision is made by the school and the admission notice is issued by the school.
ASSIST charges an audit fee of 20 euros for applying for a university, and each additional 10 euro. The application materials submitted to colleges and universities must be complete, and the deadline for submitting materials shall be subject to the deadline for applications of colleges and universities. It is best to send the application materials for assistance at least 6 weeks before the application deadline of each university.
It should be noted that the university applying must be an ASSIST member institution, and applications from non-assist member institutions are neither accepted nor forwarded; Only one set of notarized application materials is needed to apply for more than one assisting member institution; Different schools and majors have different requirements for application materials, and applicants must submit application materials according to the requirements of each major. When submitting the application materials to ASSIST, it is best to attach the applicant's e-mail address, so that ASSIST can get in touch with the applicant as soon as possible if there is any problem. If the applicant is not accepted, the application materials will be destroyed after one year and will not be sent back.