Top Talent from China

At the beginning of every semester, we see lots of Chinese students arriving in Groningen, with huge suitcases filled with their dreams and ambitions. Some twenty-eight years ago, China opened its doors, and ever since then, more and more Chinese young intellectuals went abroad to study. A brisk exchange of culture and ideas between China and The Netherlands came into being – with the inevitable cultural clashes. Why is student and knowledge exchange important? Without any doubt, recruiting excellent international scholars is attractive for Dutch universities. But what are the benefits for Chinese society? Which obstacles do Chinese students in Groningen and Dutch students in China face? Are cultural clashes inevitable?
In three short lectures and a discussion with the audience we investigate the pitfalls and advantages of the knowledge exchange between Groningen and China.

Professor Sibrand Poppema is the new president of the University of Groningen. He was dean of the Faculty of Medicine in Groningen and vice-president of the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG). Since 2003, he is Honorary Professor of the Peking Union Medical College. Poppema will speak on the importance of collaboration with Chinese top universities.

Trienke Drijfhout is lecturer Marketing Communication at the Hanze University and international project manager and senior consultant for consultancy projects in China of the Centre of Excellence Intercultural Competence. She will give a lecture about the collaboration of western and Chinese students in the project ‘Business Communication China’.

Ning Ding is post-doc researcher in the Education Faculty of the University of Groningen and the current president of the Association of Chinese Students and Scholars in Groningen. She will tell about cultural obstacles for Chinese students in the Netherlands and the importance of knowledge exchange for Chinese intellectuals.