Ole Engelhardt, director of the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) Peking, visited Beijing International Studies University (BISU) on Oct 22, accompanied by the German academic exchange institution's Deputy Director Liu Xiaoxiao and others. 

They were warmly welcomed by Zheng Chengjun, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC BISU Committee and vice-president of the university.

Zheng Chengjun (R) meets with Ole Engelhardt.

Zheng pointed out that BISU attaches great importance to its internationalization cause. It supports teachers and students to engage in learning and exchange programs and fosters mutual understanding between nations and cultures.

He said that BISU's German Language Department has achieved remarkable results in nurturing language talents. He expressed his gratitude to the DAAD for its long-term support in the development of BISU's German Language Department, and he looked forward to further bilateral collaborations.

Engelhardt expressed gratitude for BISU's hospitality and outlined the main responsibilities of the DAAD. He said Chinese universities have always been the DAAD's vital partners and that meeting with university representatives helps foster bilateral cooperation and interactions among students can strengthen mutual understanding.

He said he is confident that the DAAD and BISU can continue to "bring about change through dialogue".

During the visit, Engelhardt and Liu Xiaoxiao also presented a report titled "DAAD in China" to the students majoring in German at the School of European Studies.

They spoke of the achievements of the DAAD in promoting academic exchanges between China and Germany, as well as the latest information on studying in Germany and scholarship applications.

In the Q&A session, the presenters encouraged students to excel in their professional knowledge and to apply for various scholarships to study in Germany, further promoting cultural and academic exchanges between the two countries.

Engelhardt (R) presents a report to the students majoring in German.  

Attendees of the meeting pose for a group photo.

The Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, which was founded in 1925, represents 231 German universities and 128 university student associations and is one of the largest educational exchange institutions in the world. It has established 14 branches worldwide, and its Peking office was set up in 1994.

Funded by the German government, it supports and promotes Germany's cultural and educational policy goals. Its central task is to facilitate exchange programs and international research projects for German and international students and scientists, thereby fostering connections between German universities and their counterparts overseas.

Currently, some 68,000 university students and scientists have received grants from the center, and nearly 500 university professors have been dispatched worldwide.