Over the last two decades, education in China - especially higher education - has been given full rein in regards to progressive development, in a bid to ensure an intelligent backup with sufficient talents for the country’s future development. In recent years, Chinese universities have been gaining unprecedented, abundant resources and immense support from the state, which brings forth soaring academic strength and research competence with a rapidly growing international reputation.

In 2006, sociologist Axel Müller arrived in China for the first time, performing as the local study director for FOM University under its cooperation programme with Shandong Agricultural University in Tai’an. Today, besides his many teaching responsibilities as a professor of business administration with focuses on soft skills and organization, he carries out the function of academic director of the FOM China-German School of Business & Technology.

“Considering the technological leadership that China has achieved in many fields, cooperation between Chinese and German universities like our cooperative programmes offers excellent opportunities to intensify the mutual beneficial partnership,” said Müller.

The rapid socioeconomic development of China brings forth countless possibilities and opportunities, but also temptation and distractions. Müller shared his perspective: “As I see, the younger generations in China are open and eager to learn. The more personal intercultural experiences Chinese students have, the better equipped they are for the professional challenges to come. “

China’s strategy of “welcoming in and going global” in higher education goes far beyond the many success stories of returning overseas Chinese students. Nowadays, it is more so at the institutional level where this strategy is being implemented with the greatest effort.

According to Müller’s, “a current example of going global is the establishment of a branch of Fudan University in Budapest”. However, in order to adjust themselves to the rapid transformation of the economy, Chinese companies need to invest intensively in the development of their personnel, continuing with education to meet academic standards in the coming years.

In Germany, this is exactly the focus of the FOM: to support the economy and the companies with tailor-made academic education programmes for their professionals.  

The FOM University of Applied Sciences is Germany’s biggest private university and has offered a study programme for Business Administration with Chinese universities since 2002. It does research on economics, business administration, engineering, health services, and other fields.