Although China is the second largest economy in the world today and will probably be the largest in 10 years at the latest, many foreign business people consider this market to be extremely difficult. Appropriate preparation in dealing with the differences in culture and business mentality is recommended. "mb-cn" is an excellent programme to qualify employees not only professionally but also culturally for such challenges. The mixture of specialised knowledge, cultural awareness and experience from daily life in China provides a valuable basis for dealing with Chinese business partners.

"As part of our training at Hanning Elektro-Werke, the mb-cn Master's degree programme is an important building block with which we are further aligning ourselves to the requirements of the future. It also offers young people excellent prospects!"

"China is one of the most important growth markets for HELLA. We are therefore increasingly looking for engineers who not only have the necessary technical skills, but are also characterised by strong intercultural competencies. The mb-cn study programme at Paderborn University is groundbreaking in this respect, as we believe it represents a perfect symbiosis of specialist knowledge and the essential basics of Chinese culture and language. As an international automotive supplier, we therefore not only actively support the expansion of this study programme, but also the students in their endeavours."

"In a location network such as Miele operates, the acquisition of qualified, internationally orientated engineers is becoming increasingly important. This is why we support the mb-cn master's programme at Paderborn University."

"As an internationally active company, we see our future focus in the world's growth markets, particularly in China. For our commitment in and for this region, we are looking for engineers who are cosmopolitan, who know or have learnt about Chinese culture from their own experience and who want to contribute their personality and expertise. We therefore support and promote the development and expansion of this study programme, which is unique in the East Westphalia region."

"China is not an easy and typical country for a semester abroad. But precisely because the country is so different, I recommend that everyone try it for themselves. The stay not only promotes independence, but also helps to develop greater tolerance and openness towards other cultures and customs. I can well imagine travelling to China again for professional reasons or even working here for a few years"

"For me, not only the work at Professor Bo's department, but also the numerous personal experiences I gained were a great enrichment. Five months is certainly still far too short a time to gain an accurate picture of Chinese culture and people. However, I gained a better understanding of some of the differences between Europe and Asia."

"For my student research project at the Institute of Mechatronics, I worked on a universal drive test bench that can be used to determine the efficiency of gearboxes, for example. I developed a user interface for the human-machine interface for this test bench. The test bench can now be easily controlled via a PC using a small operating unit."

"A stay of several days in Shanghai gave me a glimpse of modern China. I was very impressed by the skyline and the many tall, modern buildings. All in all, the decision to fly to China was definitely the right one and I can recommend anyone to have the same experience. I spent a very interesting and exciting six months in China. "

"In the Chinese language course, we mainly learnt to speak and write in pinyin, the phonetic transcription of Chinese in Latin characters. At the beginning, we learnt simple everyday phrases. The numbers for shopping are very helpful. The Chinese often didn't understand us: it's difficult to get the intonation right. However, over time you understand more and more, and you can always speak a few more spokespersons."

"The first in-depth contact with my Chinese fellow students took place
in the exercises for the course "Machine Elements Basics",
which I took over for a group of students. It quickly became clear that there were differences in their way of thinking and behaviour, which I had to adapt to.
At the same time, I shared my way of learning with the students to prepare them for their studies in Germany. "

"In the six months I have become a great friend of Chinese cuisine: the food is absolutely delicious and not at all comparable to the food in German Chinese restaurants! There are lots of small bowls with different dishes on the table. You simply help yourself from them without having your own plate. It's a bit of a change at first. Eating with chopsticks wasn't so easy at first either, but later it got better and better, and then you even learn how to use a fork and knife."

"We used our free time to get to know the Chinese and their culture. There were new experiences every day, some of which may have seemed strange at times, but ultimately broadened our horizons for good. The picture shows many wedding couples at a photo shoot on the beach in Qingdao."

"One of the many highlights for me during our stay was the Chinese cuisine. From the barbecue on the roadside to the food in the restaurant, the variety and flavour of the dishes were absolutely amazing."

"Overall, the months I spent in China made a lasting impression on me. For me, the independent work on the CDTF in combination with the intensive insights into China's history, life, landscape, culture and, above all, experiencing the Chinese mentality, was probably the most eventful and exciting experience I have had so far. It is not only for these reasons that I am thinking of orientating myself professionally towards China in the future and building on the knowledge I have already gained."

"Every day I was faced with new challenges: signing a mobile phone contract in Chinese or simply trying to order something to eat and then getting what I ordered. I learnt a lot about Chinese culture and mentality and saw many sides of China (from splendour to poverty). - I would recommend this experience to anyone who is interested in studying abroad. It is an experience that will help me in my future professional life."

"There is an incredible amount to see in China. Both the railway and the aeroplane are comparatively cheap. You can get around well even without knowing Chinese. The people everywhere are very friendly and courteous. You can walk around in the darkest corners at night without fear of being attacked. My semester at the CDTF in Qingdao was something very special, I enjoyed every day. One thing is certain for me: I will definitely come back."