DoCoChi – Dortmund Competence Center China

The aim of the project is to set up the Dortmund Competence Center China (DoKoChi), mainly for the stakeholders in the Ruhr area, but also for those interested at North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and federal level, as a pool of the existing competences and to build up new competences with one clear thematic focus: University cooperation with China.

Fachhochschule Dortmund - University of Applied Sciences and Arts structures the topic into three relevant project fields, in accordance with the different levels of the Fachhochschule Dortmund model:

1. Cooperation in practice-oriented Bachelor's education through the development of corresponding study programs (and universities) in China (Transnational Education TNB), recruiting of students in China, exchange of teaching staff and students and double degrees in close cooperation with companies. There are specific projects with Beijing Information Technology College in Beijing, Shunde Polytechnic in Guangdong, Yangjiang Polytechnic in Guangdong, Jinan Vocational College in Shandong, Wuhan Shipbuilding Vocational and Technical College in Hubei, Liuzhou City Vocational College in Guangxi and Nanjing Vocational University of Industry Technology in Jiangsu.

2. Integration of Chinese universities with an application-oriented profile into the Master's cooperative agreements of Fachhochschule Dortmund in line with the concept of the Master's School. These are strategic university partnerships with exchange programs, joint study programs (e.g., summer schools, conferences) and double degrees.

3. Joint application-oriented research and development (R & D, such as 2 + 2) with a clear focus on transfer to business. The aim is strategic cooperation of the R & D networks and organizations in the Ruhr area and in China.

Fachhochschule Dortmund addresses these topics with a three-step China strategy:

Stage 1: Building strategic partnerships and strengthening our own competences in cooperation with China and in capacity building.

Stage 2: Establishing a structured exchange of students, teachers and staff in close collaboration with business partners.

Stage 3: Developing our own China-related course program, for example in the form of special study programs, specializations or cooperative study formats.

The focus of the DoKoChi funding phase is Stage 1. Specific measures include:

1. Creating a post for the coordination of activities with one person experienced in capacity building in China and one Chinese native-speaker  (with Chinese university experience).
2. Developing a training and education program at Fachhochschule Dortmund as part of the personnel development. The aim is to teach intercultural, linguistic and administrative Chinese competence.
3. Establishing an exchange program for employees, teachers and perspective students with the Chinese partners.
4. Creating a series of workshops in Germany (with German partners) for the development of strategies and measures (including external consulting services).
5. Recruiting teaching staff with relations to China for exchange-preparatory courses. The goal is a China-related teacher pool.
6. Conducting a series of cooperation workshops in China.