New Exchange Program Between RWTH and Tsinghua University
The strategic partnership between RWTH Aachen and Tsinghua University, Beijing, has been extended to include an innovative exchange program. The first part of the Joint Entrepreneurship Study Program just took place in Aachen, the second part will take place in November at the Tsinghua School of Economics and Management in Beijing.
The Aachen part of the program was organized by the RWTH Innovation and Entrepreneurship Group (WIN), headed by Professor Malte Brettel, and the RWTH International Office. The program receives funding from the “Strategic Partnerships” program offered by the German Academic Exchange Service, DAAD.
The eight-day program in Aachen covered the basics of entrepreneurship: 14 students from the Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management and 17 RWTH students worked in binational teams on case studies investigating the differences between Western and Chinese start-up companies. Furthermore, the students visited companies in Aachen and Köln to deepen their knowledge.
The overall aim of the program is to encourage the participating students to create their own business ideas. The most important course contents were made available online to enable preparation and subsequent review of the material covered.
In addition to the participating in workshops and company visits, the students took part in a “buddy program” that paired Chinese with German students. Once paired, buddies met regularly to learn about each others’ cultures, customs, and to explore the RWTH campus and the city of Aachen.
The second part of the Joint Entrepreneurship Study Program will take place in Beijing in November. At the Tsinghua School of Economics and Management, participating RWTH students will have the chance to gain further insights into the Chinese start-up and entrepreneurial landscape.