Anniversary at Qingdao University
30 years of the Department of Intercultural German Studies - Hanns-Seidel-Foundation (HSF) honoured

​​​​Dear festive assembly,

Dear Sir or Madam,

Dear students,

It is a reat honour for me to address you today on behalf of the Hanns Seidel Foundation to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Department of Intercultural German Studies at Qingdao University. I would also like to convey the best wishes of the Hanns Seidel Foundation headquarters in Munich and congratulate you on your anniversary.

Three decades of continuous work and commitment to the education of students, research, contributions to intercultural communication and contributions to the development of German-Chinese relations deserve the highest respect and recognition. But the Hanns-Seidel-Foundation is also a part of this history. We have promoted development and contributed to stabilisation. As an official internship training centre, we are a partner for students, but we would also like to serve as a bridge builder for the Department of Intercultural German Studies.

This anniversary is not only an occasion to look back proudly on the past, but also an opportunity to look to the future. It is a moment to reflect on past achievements and set new goals to guide us in the years to come.

The Department of Intercultural German Studies has played a central role in promoting understanding between China and Germany over the past 30 years. It has not only spread the knowledge of German language, culture and history, but also built countless bridges between the two countries. Thanks to the excellent work of this department, students have been able to immerse themselves deeply in German society and develop an understanding that goes far beyond textbook knowledge.

One of the greatest achievements I would like to emphasise today is the established network of the Department of Intercultural German Studies in partnerships with German universities, companies and institutions. This includes the Hanns Seidel Foundation. These co-operations are invaluable in the context of education and research, but also for possible internships.

Internships are an indispensable part of academic education. They offer students the opportunity to apply the knowledge they have acquired during their studies in practice and to gain valuable professional experience - but also to improve their communication skills. Especially in an international context, such as the Sino-German one, such experiences are invaluable. They enable students to acquire intercultural skills, which are becoming increasingly important in our globalised world.

For students in the Department of German Studies, internships in the context of Germany are a good opportunity to experience German working culture at first hand and perhaps also to orientate themselves professionally. They learn to find their way in a new environment, use the German language in everyday life and make contacts that may be of great importance for their future careers.

In my view, these internships are not only of great benefit to the students, but also to the host institutions and companies. They benefit from the intercultural perspective that the Chinese students bring with them and can thus better understand and optimise their own activities in China. It is also an opportunity for students to take responsibility and build self-confidence.

Let us take this anniversary as an opportunity to further expand our collaborations and explore new ways of working together and linking networks in new ways. The world is becoming increasingly interconnected, and it is our responsibility to provide students with a good basis for a successful future. We at the Hanns-Seidel-Foundation are happy to contribute to this.

Finally, I would like to congratulate the Department of Intercultural German Studies once again on this impressive anniversary. 30 years of successful work are a reason to celebrate, but also an incentive to tackle the next decades with the same passion and dedication.

I wish us all an inspiring future, characterised by continued successful cooperation and many more joint successes.

Thank you very much.

Dr. Michael Klaus

Chief Representative

Hanns Seidel Foundation Shandong Office