Facing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Shenzhen Technology University (SZTU) is actively exploring new ways of international cooperation by means of information technology (IT). International teaching and academic exchanges of SZTU have been carried out online through cloud learning platforms. And a student-centered and IT-assisted model of cooperation in international education that aims to develop students’ core competencies is thus established.

SZTU students take international courses online. [Photo/International Cooperation & Student Affairs Office]

From October to December in 2021, SZTU opened four international courses online which belong to the “Economics of Engineering” course series. Four renowned scholars from Swiss universities were invited to give the lectures in English, and nearly 150 students of SZTU signed up for the courses. The online courses were elaborately planned and organized by International Cooperation & Student Affairs Office of SZTU. The foreign lecturers also took great efforts in making course plans and creating customized teaching goals and content. By interacting with the lecturers online, SZTU students are able to experience international educational model and culture as well as master interdisciplinary theory and application without going abroad.

SZTU students enjoy the metaverse class. [Photo/International Cooperation & Student Affairs Office]

For example, Prof. Markus Rach introduced artificial intelligence into “The Future of Marketing” course and created the first Chinese-Swiss Metaverse Class of SZTU, which gave the students an immersive experience in technological innovation.

Apart from introducing high-quality educational resources from overseas, SZTU also actively offers cooperative lectures in its featured disciplines that are jointly taught by Chinese and foreign teachers for resource sharing.

Opening ceremony of the “Sustainability and Innovation in Connected World” lecture series [Photo/Party Affairs Committee Publicity Office]

Schedule of the lecture series [Photo/International Cooperation & Student Affairs Office]

From October to December in 2021, SZTU and Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences (H-BRS) jointly held an international online lecture series entitled “Sustainability and Innovation in Connected World”. The series consisted of 10 interdisciplinary lectures, given in English by 10 deans and professors from SZTU and H-BRS. It covered 10 different topics including anthropology, carbon peaking and neutrality, wearables, and economy in Europe and China. Nearly 200 SZTU students and over 40 H-BRS students signed up for the series and completed their group projects. Prof. Jürgen Bode, vice president of H-BRS, said that the lecture series is to convey the concept of sustainability to students from China and Germany and to enable them to exchange ideas across national and geographic boundaries.

One of the new international courses entitled “Entrepreneurship in Family Firms” [Photo/International Cooperation & Student Affairs Office]

In the year of 2022, SZTU keeps joining hands with foreign universities to carry on online education. For example, three new international courses of the “Economics of Engineering” series have been arranged properly in this semester.

Online workshop jointly held by SZTU and TUM Asia [Photo/International Cooperation & Student Affairs Office]

On March 15, SZTU and Technical University of Munich Asia (TUM Asia) jointly held an online workshop entitled “Industrial Applications of Digital Technologies” with 4 themed lectures given by 4 professors from the two universities. Next, SZTU plans to organize online summer school jointly with Swiss partner universities, which will gather high-quality teaching resources from overseas to offer an international platform for interdisciplinary exchanges.

So far, SZTU has established partnerships with 65 overseas universities, institutions and enterprises from 17 countries and regions. A total of 309 SZTU students in 15 batches have taken part in exchange programs abroad. SZTU has also hosted the International Week for two consecutive years and the International Forum for four times. Meanwhile, it has joined hands with its European partners to establish two overseas offices, one overseas laboratory, six joint laboratories, as well as university consortiums and innovation centers. In the future, SZTU will keep focusing on its internationalization strategy and promote high-quality and diversified cooperation in international education in a more open and innovative manner.

Drafted by Olivia（赖丽伟）/ International Cooperation & Student Affairs Office

Revised by International Cooperation & Student Affairs Office

Edited by International Cooperation & Student Affairs Office