On Wednesday 30 April, a group of Danish and Chinese students from the Sino-Danish Center (SDC) visited AU in order to spread the message about the Master’s degree programmes in Beijing.

2014.05.05 | Andreas G. Jensby

There was a lot of happy chatter in the Uni Bar in Stakladen. Photo: Maria Randima Sørensen

Curious AU students showed up to hear more about SDC. Photo: Maria Randima Sørensen

Following the event, the students went on a guided tour of the University Park. Photo: Maria Randima Sørensen

Not a lot of people at AU know about it yet. But there are actually a lot of opportunities for studying in China, doing your Master’s and getting a unique experience.

This was the message that the Danish and Chinese students from the Danish-Chinese university centre in Beijing, the Sino-Danish Center (SDC), wanted to impart to the students at Aarhus University at the event on Wednesday 30 April. Together with all the other universities in Denmark, AU is part of the SDC in Beijing, which means that AU’s students can apply to do their Master’s in China.

The SDC offers seven Master’s degree programmes taught in English within the natural sciences and social sciences. The Danish and Chinese students study together at the centre in Beijing. 

The best of two worlds

Every year, 15 Danish and 15 Chinese students are accepted to each of the seven degree programmes at the SDC. Christian Strange from Denmark is one of them. He is part of the first class on the Public Management & Social Development programme, and he is currently in the process of writing his Master’s thesis.

“It’s been so great studying in Beijing. Every course takes about a month, so it’s been a much more intense study process with a lot more classes to attend. The most skilled lecturers from all universities in Denmark come to Beijing for a month at a time, so both the teaching and the overall programme resemble what we have in Denmark. But then it also has that extra Chinese work mentality and discipline, so it’s the best of two worlds,” explains Christian Strange.

A cultural exchange, beneficial for both parties

According to Christian Strange, it has been fascinating to meet and work alongside fellow students from both Denmark and China.

“The Chinese have a completely different take on authority. For instance, they had to get used to being on a first name basis with the Danish lecturers. The Chinese professors at the SDC are well aware that we have a different way of approaching each other in Denmark, and they have taken on this relatively informal attitude as well,” he says.

Wang Kaixi is a Chinese student in Christian Strange’s class, and she is visiting Denmark for the first time. It has been a great experience for her, but it has required some getting used to as well.

”It’s totally different here. We are used to the professor showing us the right way to do something, and then we have to learn that. With the Danish professors we get different theories and tools and have to find the solution ourselves. And normally Chinese students work alone. Now almost everything is group work, and it really fosters progress to work with others,” explains Wang Kaixi.

Herring, liver pâté and cheese

For both the Danish and Chinese student at SDC, this visit to Denmark is a great experience. “But there are certain things that the Chinese must learn,” explains Christian Strange.

“We had arranged at get-together, where we introduced them to the Danish culinary tradition of open faced sandwiches, which they had to make themselves. They saw us stacking on the toppings, but they didn’t pay attention to what we were actually putting on. So several of them put together sandwiches with herring, liver pâté and cheese, on the same sandwich – it was really a lot of fun. It probably tasted weird, but I guess they just thought that’s what Danish food tastes like,” explains Christian Strange.

Despite the open faced sandwich experience, Wang Kaixi is a fan of Danish culture in many ways.

”I love the lifestyle here. The Danish lifestyle is casual and relaxed, and the people are really open and friendly, which also have made it easier to study together. Everyone was nervous to begin with, because everything was new. But it gives a lot of freedom individually because the Danish professors and students are friendly and speak to you at eye level,” she explains.

• Read more: 7 programmes you can study in China
• Read more about the Sino-Danish Center.