Background

As early as 1981, a partnership agreement was signed between Freie Universität and Peking University. This agreement was one of the first in German-Chinese higher education and resulted in numerous collaborative projects in research and teaching. To mark the 30th anniversary of the partnership, the agreement was renewed in 2011 and the cooperation expanded into a strategic partnership. The aim is to intensify the partnership by promoting the mobility of scholars and young researchers across disciplines and by fostering research cooperation. For many years, the focus was on cooperation in the humanities and social sciences, but the strategic partnership also led to more intensive contacts in the natural sciences. In addition to joint research projects and teaching stays, the spectrum expanded through the structured exchange of administrative and management staff and the development of joint institutes, such as the Chinese-German Science Forum for the Humanities and Social Sciences (2015-2016).

Highlights

One of the main pillars of the partnership with Peking University is the Center for German Studies (ZDS) at Peking University, established jointly with Humboldt University and funded by the DAAD, which was founded in 2005. This interdisciplinary center not only offers cooperative Master's courses in the social sciences and humanities for Chinese students, but also provides a platform for exchange and discussion among Chinese and German academics. In 2006, Freie Universität jointly and in close cooperation opened the Confucius Institute, the first of its kind in Germany. In addition to an extensive culture and language program, the institute focuses on the continuing education of Chinese teachers and the development of teaching materials. The support of the Confucius Institutes in China is provided by Peking University.

Since the beginning of the partnership in 1981, there has been a cooperation in German studies funded by both universities. Every year, Freie Universität scholars go to Peking for several months of teaching stays and, in return, Peking University scholars come to Berlin every year for research stays.

Funding Opportunities

• University Alliance for Sustainability
• Direct Exchange (Students)
• Erasmus+ Staff Mobility for Teaching and Training

Partnership Coordinator

Dr. Stefan Rummel (IV B), phone: +49 30 838 734 02, email: stefan.rummel@fu-berlin.de