On August 23, matriculation for the Class of 2025 began at the newly constructed permanent campus of Hainan Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences (BiUH) in Yangpu Economic Development Zone, Danzhou City, in the west of Hainan Province. Approximately 400 undergraduate students from all across China arrived to formally register and participate in a range of freshers' week events organized by BiUH ahead of the start of the new term, which officially commences on September 1.

BiUH welcomes the Class of 2025 （Photo by Caozhi and Ma Yiming, Hainan Daily)

BiUH was founded two years ago in September 2023, making it the first higher education institution independently run by a German public university, as well as the first one established by an overseas university in China. Up until the school moved to its new site in Danzhou in mid-August this year, it was temporarily located in Hainan Lingshui Li'an International Education Innovation Pilot Zone. With the move comes two more undergraduate programs—industrial engineering and logistics engineering, in addition to the computer science and digital technologies courses that are already on offer.

Upon matriculation at the designated registration points, the first-year students were presented with welcome gifts. Many seem to have already laid out clear plans for how they intend to make full use of college life on the garden-like campus and the beautiful tropical island.

BiUH welcomes the Class of 2025 （Photo by Caozhi and Ma Yiming, Hainan Daily)

"Our sunny campus boasts loads of lush green plants and bright, brand new classrooms and dormitories. What else could I want?" Guan Shui from Sichuan Province in southwestern China had nothing but praise for the place where he will work on his major of computer science in the next few years, "I chose BiUH for its numerous advantages, like all English-taught programs, internationally-accredited degrees, and above all, the practical 'Work-integrated' talent training model which allows students to turn knowledge into skills through internships in collaborative enterprises, many of which are leaders in their respective sectors. I believe I can become a better me at BiUH," he added excitedly.

Jin Ye, a freshman from Liaoning Province in northeastern China, majoring in industrial engineering, said that it is his very first time in Hainan. He enjoys the climate and hopes to do well in both his professional courses and English and German language studies.

BiUH welcomes the Class of 2025 （Photo by Caozhi and Ma Yiming, Hainan Daily)

The new semester at the permanent campus in Danzhou is also a new chapter for second- and third-year students and the international faculty staff. They hope to continue working hard at their studies and teaching work in the new surroundings.

Simon Rhys Dawson, the head of the English Department of BiUH from the U.K., said that the new campus is more spacious, and that the design of the buildings, featuring "green and low-carbon" environmental philosophy that keeps many areas cool in the sun, is both surprising and necessary. From a pedagogical perspective, Simon believes that the English-taught programs at BiUH are beneficial for students in gaining experience in a multicultural learning environment, and make it easier for students to study and join global discussions. On the other hand, BiUH also provides students with opportunities to learn German and even obtain a degree in Germany. In his opinion, a student who speaks both English and German and has studied in China and Germany gains a very special mix of skills, since English helps global communication while German is useful in Europe and in fields like science and engineering. These skills will make students stand out from other candidates and may enable them to find career opportunities in Europe, China, or in global organizations. Language skills tethered to sound knowledge of core subjects can help students fit especially well in industries like engineering, automotive, technology, business, and consulting, where Germany and China already work closely together, making each of them a rare global bridge —someone who can connect East and West, handle international work and research, and succeed in many global industries.

BiUH welcomes the Class of 2025 （Photo by Caozhi and Ma Yiming, Hainan Daily)

Chen Zhouxuyang, a digital engineering student of the Class of 2024, comes from Anhui Province in eastern China. Here is his summary of college life at BiUH so far:

"I think confidence, independence, self-discipline, and the desire to improve oneself would be what a college student needs if they want to have a fulfilling campus life, while practical training and solid work are what make BiUH unique. Let me give you some examples: our further mathematics lecturer has a background in the finance industry, enabling him to provide some vivid cases of financial analyses. Our German language lecturer was an overseas student who studied in Germany and who often shares interesting stories about her life back then, as well as some practical writing skills, like how to write out your CV in German. There is something else that I've learnt from BiUH: a German professor told us in his class that one should never be afraid of making mistakes (Haben Sie keine Angst, Fehler zu machen), because mistakes lie on the inevitable path to success. This motto impresses and encourages me a lot!"