Exciting conclusion to a highly interesting excursion to Shanghai and Hangzhou
As part of an excursion by the Department of Applied Computer Science, 15 students led by Prof. Ketterer and Prof. Grimm spent a week in China at the end of October 2018.
On Friday, the students presented the project results of the previous project days at Tongji University in Shanghai. The students could originally choose between a business informatics-related project and a game programming project, which they then implemented with students from Tongji University. In the business informatics-related project, a web-based application was to be implemented with the help of the "Bizagi" platform, which implemented a business process to be defined by the students; the game programming project was carried out with the help of the "Unitiy" platform. In both cases, an intercultural topic was worked on.
"It was a great feeling when, after 11 p.m., some students approached us in the hotel about the internet access they absolutely needed to complete the prototype" emphasised Prof. Dr. Ketterer, "I had actually expected the students to fall into bed exhausted after the tight programme on Thursday". For example, the day ended with a visit to the Shanghai Tower, which at 632 m is currently the second tallest building in the world.
After the presentation of the project results on Friday, the group took the opportunity to visit the Shanghai VW production plant. This visit had been organised in advance of the trip by the lecturer for Chinese at the HS Fulda, Ms Zhang, along with many other things about the trip.
Shanghai Volkswagen is a joint venture between Shanghai Automotive and VW, which has been in existence since the mid-1980s and has had a strong influence on the development of the local automotive industry since then. The students were able to visit a classic car production facility consisting of a "press shop", "body shop", "paint shop" and "general assembly" - the powertrain is typically produced in another plant.
At the weekend, the students had a cultural programme in Hangzhou to get to know the Chinese culture better.
Hangzhou is located in the centre of a region that specifically promotes IT companies. Lucas Rondez from nihub gave an exciting insight into the IT industry in this highly innovative region. Starting with an overview of the region, he pointed out differences to the European IT industry as well as possibilities to build start-ups in China with the support of nihub. On the day of departure, the students received an introduction to the traditional Chinese tea ceremony. Prof. Dr. Ketterer already emphasised when applying for the trip "It is also important for the students to get as intensive an impression of Chinese culture as possible, because the technical things in computer science are only one aspect within such an exchange. In the MVC pattern, after all, one programs in the same way all over the world. Getting to know and appreciate the cultures of other countries is an equally important aspect of such an excursion." For this reason, the decision was also made to leave the megacity of Shanghai for at least two days and additionally go to a city where traditional Chinese culture is easier to experience, for example through more traditional architecture, the food or even the opportunity to try a traditional massage.
The students are back in Fulda, still a bit exhausted from the programme and the time change, but satisfied and with a lot of new experiences.