On the afternoon of September 20, China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL) hosted a celebration marking the fifth anniversary of the “Project Office of German Universities in China,” established in collaboration with 44 German universities, at its Haidian Campus. Notable attendees included Prof. Dr. Hu Ming, CUPL Council Chair; Prof. Dr. Joybrato Mukherjee, Rector of University of Cologne & President of Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD); Prof. Dr. Stefan Leible, President of University of Bayreuth; Prof. Dr. Thorsten Heinzel, former Vice President of University of Jena; Xia Qing, Head of Division for Europe, Asia and Africa, China Scholarship Council; Dr. Susanne Preuschoff, Head of Department International Students, University of Cologne; Philipp Dengel, Director of Bavarian Universities Centre for China; Dr. Dieter Janssen, Deputy Director of International Office at RWTH Aachen University; and other distinguished leaders and guests from both Chinese and German institutions. Representatives from nearly 20 domestic universities and over 30 German universities and institutions participated in the event. Leaders and teacher representatives from 21 teaching units at CUPL attended the celebration. CUPL Vice President Prof. Dr. Shi Jianzhong delivered a welcome speech. Vice President Prof. Dr. Lu Chunlong and Susanne Preuschoff moderated the opening ceremony.
(Opening Speech by CUPL Council Chair Hu Ming)
In his opening remarks, Hu Ming, on behalf of CUPL, congratulated the Project Office on its fifth anniversary and expressed gratitude to leaders at all levels, as well as colleagues from Chinese and German universities, for their ongoing support of CUPL’s international exchange efforts. He highlighted the university's achievements and the history of its cooperation with Germany, emphasizing that the Project Office serves as a significant milestone in Sino-German higher education collaboration. Hu looked forward to further innovative cooperation and the establishment of more collaborative networks, especially in light of the upcoming tenth anniversary of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Germany.
(Opening Speech by Rector Joybrato Mukherjee)
Prof. Joybrato Mukherjee congratulated the five years' success of the Project Office and noted that the University of Cologne actually has been active in China since 2007. As the President of DAAD, he mentioned that the year 2024 also marked the DAAD's 30th anniversary in China. He shared the fact about the active collaborations of University of Cologne with multiple Chinese universities, among which the partnership with CUPL is particularly important. The highlight of this partnership was labeled by the initiation of Project Office and its inauguration in 2019. Finally he expressed heartfelt wish for greater achievement in educational and academic collaboration between two countries.
Vice President Shi Jianzhong shared insights on CUPL’s accomplishments in Sino-German exchanges and the Project Office's efforts in promoting personnel exchanges and research collaboration over the past five years. He urged the Office to continue fostering connections between CUPL and other domestic universities to enhance cultural exchanges and educational cooperation.
Xia Qing from the China Scholarship Council extended her congratulations on the fifth anniversary of Project Office and commended the Project Office. She provided an overview of the China Scholarship Council (CSC) recent efforts in funding overseas study for Chinese students and inbound study for international students, noting the steady and progressive trend of Sino-German exchanges facilitated by this platform. She stated that CUPL has served as a significant window and bridge for Sino-German cooperation, continuously exploring innovations and developing flagship projects that contribute a great deal to pragmatic collaboration in higher education and provide a high-quality platform for cultivating globally-minded talents. The Project Office has played a positive role in advancing talent development, academic exchanges, and long-lasting friendship between the two countries. She expressed her hope that professionals in the education sectors of both countries could closely collaborate in exploring new cooperation opportunities and fostering new drivers for cooperation in the future.
The subsequent nearly three-hour session featured discussions on “Challenges and Opportunities in the Cultivation of Young Researchers” and “Internationalization of Legal Education.”
Lu Chunlong and Thorsten Heinzel delivered engaging speeches, highlighting the challenges and opportunities facing young researchers today. Li Juqian, Director of Office of International Cooperation and Exchange at CUPL, moderated the discussion. Lu Chunlong discussed several key aspects of the development of young research talent, sharing CUPL’s initiatives in implementing talent support programs, conducting faculty training, enhancing research funding, promoting the transfer of research results, and establishing international platforms.He emphasized that while there are challenges and opportunities in the cultivation of young researchers in higher education today, universities should continue to improve the management and evaluation mechanisms for young researchers, stimulate innovation and development vitality, and jointly promote the healthy growth of these talents. Heinzel highlighted the numerous challenges faced in cultivating young researchers, such as intensified competition for resources and obstacles to international collaboration. However, he also pointed out new opportunities arising from digital transformation and the rise of interdisciplinary collaboration. He stressed the importance of innovating training models, enhancing international exchanges, and focusing on human-centric approaches to support the growth of young research talent.
In the discussion on “Internationalization of Legal Education (example Germany and China),” Shi Jianzhong and Stefan Leible respectively shared their experiences and practices in the internationalization of legal education in China and Germany, resonating widely with the participants. Xie Libin, Vice Dean of the College of Comparative Law, served as the moderator for this topic. Shi Jianzhong, in his speech, provided a detailed overview of “Five Major Initiatives” implemented by CUPL for the internationalization of legal education. He shared insights on the university’s international cooperation efforts, the achievements of Sino-foreign cooperative education programs, and data on faculty with international backgrounds. He emphasized the need for universities to focus on diversity in the development of international legal education, particularly in attracting faculty with international experience and expanding partnerships. He expressed his hope that the Project Office would continue to play an active role in enhancing the openness of our legal education. Stefan Leible delivered a keynote speech titled “Internationalization of Legal Education in Germany,” in which he discussed the structure of legal degrees in Germany and the requirements for legal qualifications. He elaborated on specific measures taken to internationalize legal education in Germany, asserting that the internationalization of legal education must keep pace with global trends, representing a crucial aspect of legal research. He called for Chinese and German universities to strengthen practical measures in cultivating international legal talent and to take further steps forward.
The panel discussion, moderated by Susanne Preuschoff and Philipp Dengel, fostered in-depth exchanges on topics such as the availability of English-taught programs at German universities, opportunities and incentives for young scholars to conduct research in Germany, and barriers to internationalization.
After the event, guests toured CUPL’s history exhibition and library, gaining further insights into the university's achievements.
This event not only commemorated the fifth anniversary of the Project Office but also showcased the ongoing collaboration between China and Germany in education. Both sides are committed to advancing educational internationalization and cultivating talent with global perspectives and innovative capabilities.
The celebration was also attended by representatives numerous domestic universities, including Peking University, Renmin University of China, University of International Business and Economics, Minzu University of China, Sun Yat-Sen University, Beijing Institute of Technology, Tongji University, Zhejiang University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, East China University of Science and Technology, Wuhan University, Shenzhen University, and Qingdao University. Additionally, representatives from German universities, institutions, research centers, and foundations, including the Beijing Office of Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD), the Goethe-Institut China, University of Munich, RWTH Aachen University, Justus Liebig University Giessen, University of Bonn, University of Marburg, University of Münster, Technical University of Munich, Heidelberg University, Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences, University Alliance of North Rhine-Westphalia, Forschungszentrum Jülich and Hanns Seidel Stiftung were also present.
As part of the series of events, the “Symposium on the Legal Framework of Sino-German Academic Cooperation” was held on September 23 at CUPL, where nearly 50 scholars discussed topics such as intellectual property protection and data security. Lu Chunlong, Vice President of CUPL, attended the event and delivered a speech.
【Extended Reading】
In accordance with a series of intergovernmental agreements in the fields of education, culture, and science and technology, including the Sino-German Action Plan for Cooperation, the Joint Statement on Establishing a High-Level Dialogue Mechanism for Cultural Exchanges between the Governments of the People’s Republic of China and the Federal Republic of Germany, and the Agreement on Legal Exchange and Cooperation between China and Germany,the Project Office was established to enhance educational and cultural exchanges between China and Germany.
Since its inception in September 2019 at CUPL, the Office has successfully collaborated with 44 German universities and institutions, facilitating a robust platform for academic dialogue and partnership. Currently, the Office collaborates with two university alliances (comprising 36 universities) and two individual universities. The collaborating institutions include the China-North Rhine-Westphalia Alliance (which encompasses six universities, including the University of Cologne), the Bavarian University Alliance/China Center for Higher Education (which includes 36 universities, such as Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich), RWTH Aachen University, and the University of Jena.
