The best way of learning about Chinese culture and improving your Mandarin skills is to immerse yourself in a course at a local Chinese university. This works really well because the majority of the Chinese population still do not speak any English. Therefore you are positively encouraged to speak Mandarin on a daily basis.
In 2010, I enrolled at Zhejiang University on a three week course as part of a UK government sponsored programme to study Chinese language and culture. Like many of my friends and acquaintances who have embarked on a similar programme since, I found it unexpectedly rewarding and situations which forced me to speak Mandarin all day every day. This is one of the best ways to meet local students and learn about their way of life (after all, they love Harry Potter and Game of Thrones just like us!)
Zhejiang University is one of the top engineering schools in China and is a member of the C9 League. It is based in Hangzhou, the provincial capital of Zhejiang Province with a population of 6m. The city is approximately 45 mins away from Shanghai by high speed train. Home to the renowned West Lake, today Hangzhou is a startup hotspot and it is here where companies like Alibaba began.
Many universities around China now offer short courses in Mandarin and various topics relating to China. Most will have a dedicated international student office catering to those from abroad. Courses at some of the popular universities can be accessed at the links below:
Immersion courses at popular universities:
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