Start and end of the stay abroad: 26/08/2024 - 14/09/2024
Author of the field report: Knud Hano
Degree programme at the FH Aachen: B.Sc. Industrial Engineering and Management (subject area Mechanical Engineering)
The semester abroad took place in: 4th semester
Assessments:
Quality of the programme content: 2,0
Study conditions / facilities at the host university: 2.3
On-site support and assistance: 1.3
Campus: 2.0
Transport links to the campus: 1.3
Food on campus (dining hall (Mensa), etc.): 2,3
Sports facilities: 4.0
Leisure activities: 1.0
Bars / discos / nightlife: 1.3
Quality / cost of living: 1.0
Contact with locals: 1.7
Knud Hano | FH Aachen
Group photo at the Bund in Shanghai
Preparations
Why did you choose China as the country for your stay abroad? I decided to participate in the Summer School in Shanghai because I was very interested in a double degree and could not participate in the Winter School Mexico. In addition, I found that China is portrayed in the German media almost exclusively as a political and ideological antagonist to Europe and North America with poor working conditions. I found it hard to imagine that this portrayal really did justice to a country with 2x more inhabitants than the continent of Europe. That's why I was also interested in getting my own impression on site.
How does the application process work? The registration process went via the website www.dhik.org/summerschoolcdhaw/ and was so far self-explanatory. I wouldn't say that the registration was a lot of work, but I would advise against starting it at the last minute. After accepting to take part, a WhatsApp group was created with all the participants, where we could support each other in the next steps of preparation.
When did you start preparing? I started preparing for the Summer School at the same time as my application for the Summer School (early/mid-May). I first had to prepare the documents required for participation and entry. These were all listed on the application form or in the notification of acceptance.
What formalities had to be completed before travelling? The Chinese university provided an invitation letter for the visa application, which further simplified the whole process. Those interested in taking part will also be pleased to hear that new entry restrictions for Germans travelling to China have been introduced since I took part, which significantly simplify the entry process. Depending on how long you plan to stay in China before or after the summer school, you can now even enter the country without a visa. Apart from the visa, you should also take care of travel cancellation insurance and luggage insurance early on, as these often only apply after a certain amount of time has elapsed since taking out the policy and therefore cannot be booked the day before departure. Flights should also be booked early to reduce costs. You should also decide early on whether and how many days you want to spend in China before or after the summer school. Another thing you should be aware of is taking medication with you. If you need to take medication such as painkillers or stimulants for ADHD with you, you may need to obtain a permit to carry these with you from the doctor and health authorities. This process can take longer so please start early.
Do I have to pay fees at the host university? I had to pay €350 to the CDHAW for the summer school.
Did you receive a scholarship to finance your stay abroad? No, but I did not apply for a scholarship either.
How high are the travelling costs? Most participants paid around €700 for a return flight without upgrades.
On site
Where is the best place to stay and what are the average accommodation costs? The €350 participation fee covers accommodation in hotels for up to 30 days. If you stay in China for more than 30 days, you will have to organise your own accommodation.
How was the search for accommodation organised (are there any contacts for this)? The hotels in which you are accommodated during the summer school are booked by the organisers and you don't have to worry about anything else.
What is the average cost of living? The hotel rooms in which you are accommodated do not have kitchens, so you have to eat out or buy ready-made food from the supermarket almost every day. However, there are also a lot of very cheap restaurants, so it's not too bad. If you are disciplined with your budget, you can get by with less than €10 per day for food and drink. However, I think an average of €12~€15 per day is realistic.
What is cheap/expensive? Shanghai is one of the most expensive cities in China. This means that most things in Shanghai are cheaper than in Germany, but not as much as you might think. What was unbeatably cheap, however, were customised suits for just under €120, which almost all participants made use of.
Climate / situation on site: Which items of clothing or other utensils should be included in the suitcase? Shanghai is at roughly the same latitude as Morocco, so I would recommend taking plenty of T-shirts and shorts with you. There are also no strict dress codes in China. This means that most business people you meet will be wearing T-shirts and shorts. If you want to dress smartly, you are welcome to do so, but you will have to sweat.
About the host university
Briefly describe the host university! The Chinese German University of Applied Sciences was founded in 2004 on the campus of Tongji University in collaboration with the German and Chinese Ministries of Education. The CDHAW is supported by Tongji University and the German University Consortium for International Co-operation. Tongji University is one of the oldest universities in China and, as one of the few "Class A Double First Class" universities, is one of the most prestigious and selective universities in China.
How was the overall quality of the courses and lectures? During the summer school you get a broad mix of excursions, lectures and talks on campus. The excursions are either to relevant cultural sites or to companies that support the summer school financially. There you usually get a guided tour followed by a presentation by staff and a Q&A session. The lectures cover the basics of Chinese culture and language, as well as dos and don'ts during a stay in China. The lectures on campus are mainly given by expats who are now working in China and cover topics such as intercultural management in industrial companies. To summarise, the courses and lectures I attended were very informative for me, but also clearly tailored to the summer school. Accordingly, I cannot speak for the courses and lectures as one would receive them during a semester abroad.
How are the facilities at the host university? From what I have seen, the university is similarly equipped to FH Aachen. Overall, however, you don't spend as much time on the university's premises.
Are there any special features on campus or anything that should be mentioned? Special features that I liked: There is a small shopping street on campus with shops and restaurants, which me and my fellow students visited a lot. The campus also has lots of green spaces and, apart from a few places, it looks very attractive. Special features that I didn't like: There are a lot of facilities on campus like dining hall (Mensa) and sports facilities that you need a student card to use. Even though I understand why you don't get a student card for your stay, I would have been very happy to be able to try out these enclosures.
How many hours a week did you work on average? Basically, you have a programme on weekdays and the weekends are free. The amount of programme you have each day varies greatly, but on average you are busy from 10 am to 6 pm.
Did you have personal contact with the professors? Did you also receive help outside the courses? There were always several contacts among the Summer School leaders and professors who gave lectures for the participants. In addition, the organisers of the company visits were not only willing but also extremely interested in answering questions about the content or about their lives in China themselves. Many Summer School participants, including myself, even went home with the organisers' private mobile phone numbers in case they had any questions afterwards.
Are there special introductory courses for visiting students? Are there organised (possibly subsidised) excursions for visiting students? The Summer School is such an introductory programme.
Did you have specific contacts at the foreign university? The organisers were very open to helping you with any questions you had. It was not appreciated that more and more questions were asked about things that had already been covered in the information material and exchange groups.
What are the transport links to the campus like? What should I bear in mind? You can get from the campus to the city centre and vice versa by public transport during the day without any problems. However, you have to bear in mind that there are no more trains after 10 pm. However, you can use apps such as "DiDi" to take a taxi very cheaply, especially if you share the cost with others.
What are the sports facilities on campus like? There are several large sports grounds for different sports as well as buildings with swimming pools and fitness rooms. Unfortunately, you can only use the sports fields during the summer school, as the other enclosures require a student card.
Do I have to pay for the sports facilities? The sports grounds can be used free of charge.
About the courses and lectures attended at the CDHAW
Course attended: Innovation management and development in China
Lecturer: Oliver Schirmer
Form of teaching: Presentations, lectures & excursions
Form of assessment: Presentation
Keywords for the course description: Product development, international innovation activities, basic social structures and intercultural management in China
Is the course recommended? Yes.
Knud Hano | FH Aachen
Lecture by Ph.D. Constanze Wang
Knud Hano | FH Aachen
Guided tour of the mechanical engineering company Ruhlamat in China
Leisure activities
What leisure sports facilities does the place of study offer (beach: swimming/water sports, mountains: skiing, etc.)? In addition to the facilities on campus, you will be able to find various sports facilities in the surrounding area. Shanghai is located directly by the sea, but as far as I know, it is not a suitable beach resort. There are also no mountains nearby.
Name a few local sights in the city! The "Bund" is a viewing terrace in the centre of Shanghai from where you have an excellent view of the city skyline. The Shanghai World Financial Centre and the Shanghai Tower are the two largest skyscrapers in Shanghai and both have rooftop bars and viewing platforms that you can visit. People's square is home to a beautiful park and other museums.
Which tourist attractions in the surrounding area should you visit? Personally, I'm not a big fan of pure tourist attractions, so I didn't visit any classic tourist destinations beyond the visits with the Summer School. However, I know that some participants travelled to Beijing, Hong Kong or the Great Wall of China at weekends or after the summer school.
Are there any restaurants, bars or museums worth mentioning in the neighbourhood? Where do you go in the evening (pubs, bars, discos, cinemas) and what do you recommend? There are many museums in Shanghai about the history of Shanghai and China, which I can recommend to anyone to learn more about colonialism in China and the formation of China's identity today. There are also a lot of good museums on traditional Chinese art and science. In addition, it is also worth visiting Chinese bars, clubs and restaurants and possibly striking up a conversation with Chinese people of the same age.
Are there any special features of the local cuisine that I should be aware of? It is certainly possible to eat vegetarian or vegan food locally, but you have to be prepared to have much less choice in restaurants. It can also happen that you accidentally order something that might have a bit of meat in it. Apart from that, you don't have to worry too much about Chinese cuisine. In Shanghai, the food is no spicier than in Germany and you can recognise the spicy food that is available.
Are there any special customs/customs among the locals or any taboos? There are many differences in terms of customs and traditions in China and Germany. However, I wouldn't worry too much about this. Shanghai is also known as China's gateway to the world because there is such a large international audience there. Accordingly, you will be forgiven for putting your foot in your mouth. In addition, the most important cultural differences are also covered in the lectures so that you can get along better.
Final considerations - Conclusion
How would you rate your stay abroad overall? My participation in the Summer School and my stay in China gave me a lot to think about and gave me many impressions that I would certainly not have had otherwise in my life. I can definitely say that the experiences I had have shaped me in the long term.
Did you choose the right time for your semester abroad? I took part in the summer school shortly before the start of semester 5. I can't think of any reasons for or against taking part a year earlier or later.
High and low points of your stay? To start with the low points, I can only say that I realised every day that drinking water from the tap at home is a luxury that I can hardly imagine living without. That's it for my low points. However, there were more high points than I could list here. I can hardly express how warmly we were welcomed by the companies and other organisers. It was great to get an insight into the production of various products and to hear talks about the challenges of living in China from people who have been through it all themselves. One section that I would like to emphasise in particular was a trip to the city of Wenzhou, south of Shanghai, which lasted several days. During our time in Shanghai, all the companies we visited were of German origin. In Wenzhou there is a much lower representation of foreigners and all the companies we visited there were Chinese. With these company visitors, it really became clear to me to what extent Chinese companies present themselves differently. At the same time, these companies, like the German companies from Shanghai, approached us students with an interest in recruiting candidates for bachelor theses. Apart from the company visits, we also organised a lot of events on traditional Chinese art in Wenzhou.
Did you make new friends? What will remain unforgotten? I made friends among the other participants from Germany as well as among the Chinese students we met there, and I am still in contact with them several months later.
How did you cope with the local language? Are there 1-3 terms that spontaneously come to mind when you think back to your stay abroad? You don't have to be able to speak Chinese or, strictly speaking, English to take part in the summer school. There are loads of apps that can translate everything without any problems. However, if you don't want to use your mobile phone to translate all the time, English language skills are definitely worthwhile.
What advice would you like to give to other students on your degree programme who decide to spend a semester abroad at this foreign university? There is a lot of information material on the DHIK and CDHAW websites about various funding programmes etc., which can make your entry and stay much easier. In any case, it is worth doing some research there and contacting them by email if necessary.
