On Thursday, November 15th, President Prof. Dr. Yang Zongkai-led delegation from the Chinese Xidian University visited the University of Paderborn. Zongkai and Prof. Dr. Birgitt Riegraf, President of the University of Paderborn, signed an agreement that provides for the continuation of student exchanges between the two universities and to intensify research cooperation, particularly in the areas of technology and natural sciences.
The University of Paderborn has been working together with the Xidian University since 2013, which is based in the central Chinese city of Xi'an and focuses on the areas of electrical engineering, information technology and computer science. At the end of September, a delegation from the University of Paderborn, headed by Birgitt Riegraf, visited Xidian University.
"We look forward to further intensifying the exchange with Xidian University in research and teaching," said Birgitt Riegraf in welcoming the Chinese guests. Prof. Dr. Yang Zongkai emphasized that both universities have many overlaps in the areas of computer science, electrical engineering and Industry 4.0. Academic training and scientific research in Paderborn and Xi'an can therefore benefit equally from close cooperation.
"Good international relations have always been a central concern of the University of Paderborn - this is shown not least by our more than 200 partner universities worldwide and our steadily increasing number of international students," emphasized Prof. Dr. Torsten Meier, Vice President for International Relations. "In our international contacts, China has a special position and due to long-standing exchange programs, Chinese students now make up the largest group among our international students," Meier continues.
After the Chinese guests had been welcomed by Birgitt Riegraf and Torsten Meier, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Joachim Böcker, Prof. Dr. Jens Förstner and Prof. Dr. Holger Karl presented her work at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Mathematics. Böcker teaches and researches power electronics and drive technology, Förstner's focus is on theoretical electrical engineering, optoelectronics and photonics and Karl, head of the Institute for Computer Science, deals with computer networks - three areas in which the University of Paderborn and the Xidian University want to work together in the future .
In addition to academic training and scientific cooperation, both universities are also founding partners of the Confucius Institute Paderborn. Therefore, they support the development of the facility, which was launched in the summer of 2015 with the help of the city of Paderborn and the municipal support association "Paderborn convinces". Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Bremser, German director and managing director of the institute: "We want to break down barriers and bring Germans and Chinese together through language and culture classes."
Further information on Xidian University and the Confucius Institute Paderborn:
Text: Simon Ratmann, Press and Communications Office
