"Visits, research, lectures, workshops, project-based topics ...... This out-of-country course was so enriching! I learned about many different aspects of China and gained a new understanding of Chinese culture. When I return home, I must share it well with my classmates and ask them all to come and see China." In early October, eight German students from Hamburg University of Applied Sciences in Design and Communication participated in the first "Chinese Culture and Chinese Branding" course held by Zhejiang Wanli College, and started a four-week "Chinese style" study and life. The four-week "Chinese style" study and life.
Cross Border Classroom, 360Experience China
During the past two weeks, eight German students visited Ningbo's famous historical buildings - Tianyi Pavilion and Tiantong Temple, visited local enterprises such as Ningbo Junsheng Electronics and Boyang Home Textiles, and learned about Chinese culture, the operation and development of modern Chinese enterprises and the needs of cross-cultural development of brands through lectures and workshops such as "Visual Representation of Chinese Values" and "Ningbo Traditional Culture and Handicrafts". Through lectures and workshops such as "Ningbo Traditional Culture and Handicrafts" and "Ningbo Design and Advertising Industry", they learned about Chinese culture, the operation and development of modern Chinese enterprises and the need for cross-cultural brand development.
Ole Jasper, a German student, said, "Through the course, we gained theoretical knowledge and experience in studying and working in a Chinese cultural context, and mastered cross-cultural communication skills and teamwork. We also participated in class group days together with Chinese students and felt the immense enthusiasm of Chinese students."
Experience "Chinese" family life
In order to let the international students experience the traditional Chinese family life, feel the Chinese culture from different aspects and enhance the friendship between Chinese and German students, Zhejiang Wanli College arranged for the eight German students to stay in the homes of local students. Kong Lingjie, a student of Zhejiang Wanli College's School of Chinese, German and Design and Communication, said with a smile: "The elders of the family welcomed the international students when they came to visit their home. My mom only knows one and a half sentences of English, but she can also communicate with the international students without any obstacles, and she also taught each other many Zhejiang words, talking about the past life and present life of Ningbo."
Selina, a German student, was very satisfied with her Chinese family, saying, "My Chinese family was very friendly, they knew I was a vegetarian, so they prepared many delicious vegetables for me and let me taste many local specialties, I am very grateful that they could take me to experience the real 'Chinese style ' family life. I would also love to come to China if I have the opportunity in the future."
School-enterprise cooperation, real questions
In order to tell the Chinese story, spread the Chinese voice and build a friendly platform for Sino-German cultural exchange, Zhejiang Wanli College innovated the form and content, and cooperated with local enterprises such as RuiBee Power, Dongqian Lake Culture and Tourism Media and Risho Design to carry out project-based projects.
The project-based projects are conducted in groups, with two Chinese and two German students teaming up to work on their projects under the leadership of a professional mentor and a corporate mentor, with real-life problems. At the end of the project, the project proposals were presented to the partner companies. Although each team had a different project, they all started from the idea of "telling a good Chinese brand story", in order to promote local brands to the international market and to introduce Chinese quality and Chinese culture to more international friends. Mr. Qi Lichang of Dongqian Lake Media Co., Ltd. said: "The proposals put forward by the students are very creative and constructive, and they are very inspiring for our company, such as how to make the European market understand the brand story of Dongqian Lake, which is what we need to strengthen at present. The school-enterprise cooperation in the form of project-based projects is very meaningful in practice for both the school and the company, and we look forward to more cooperation with Sino-German College in the future."
Pan Yewen, a student who participated in the project proposal, said, "It was very fulfilling to communicate and collide with international students in the real world and complete the proposal together. Their active thinking and courageous attitude to express their views made me fully aware of my own shortcomings, and I hope the university will hold more cross-cultural exchange activities like this." International student Patrick, on the other hand, said that the short two-week course allowed me to learn a lot about Chinese elements and Ningbo elements. I believe that these will be my materials in my future graduation design.
International teaching is the general direction of development of Zhejiang Wanli College," said Ying Min, President of Zhejiang Wanli College. The 'Chinese Culture and Chinese Brand' course allows schools and enterprises to work together, aiming to jointly build a cross-cultural learning platform, a Sino-German cultural exchange platform and a youth friendship and interaction platform. Zhejiang Wanli College will fully open this course to foreign students, so that the Chinese and foreign students can enhance their understanding, friendship and common practice through the series of activities arranged in the course, and become the messengers of cultural exchange between Chinese and German youth."
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