Zheng Qinghua, president of Tongji University, gives a speech during the celebration of CDHAW's 20th anniversary. [Photo/WeChat ID: International_Tongji]

The 20th anniversary of Chinese-German University of Applied Science (CDHAW), an institute of Tongji University, was celebrated at Fulda University of Applied Sciences in Germany on March 18 local time. 

CDHAW, established in 2004, is a beacon of Sino-German educational cooperation, fostering joint education and cultivating international engineering talent. It allows students to study in both countries and gain practical experience in industry.

Dignitaries from both countries, including key figures from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Chinese Embassy in Germany, attended the event, which also marked the 20th anniversary of the Association for International Cooperation of German Colleges and Universities (DHIK).

At the ceremony, Zheng Qinghua, president of Tongji University, expressed heartfelt gratitude for the strong support from the governments of China and Germany, as well as the trust and dedication of the German partner universities. He also proposed initiatives for artificial intelligence-empowered higher education and the joint cultivation of a new type of outstanding engineering talent.

CDHAW adopts a "3+1" training model, encompassing three years of study at Tongji University and a fourth year in Germany. Students must undertake internships at German companies for three to six months and complete their graduation thesis, addressing challenges directly relevant to enterprise operations and applying their findings to production.

The first graduates of CDHAW celebrate their graduation. [Photo/WeChat ID: International_Tongji]

Over the past 20 years, 2,420 Chinese students have graduated from CDHAW, of which 1,782 have obtained double degrees from China and Germany. The number of German graduates has reached 790, with 462 obtaining double degrees from China and Germany. Graduates from CDHAW have excelled in various fields, with high employment rates and international recognition. The school has received praise from both the Chinese and German governments, being hailed as a successful model of Sino-German higher education cooperation.

CDHAW has also become a bridge for promoting interaction and exchange between young students from China and Germany by hosting student camps that allow students from both sides to experience the local culture of the other side.