USST shines bright in cooperation
Shanghai-Hamburg College, jointly founded by the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology (or USST) and Hamburg University of Applied Sciences in Germany, celebrated its 25th anniversary in October 2023, with Carola Veit, president of the parliament of the German state of Hamburg, saluting it as “a shining example of education cooperation” between the two countries.
Currently, Shanghai-Hamburg College is a branch of the SinoGerman College at USST, which offers five undergraduate majors in collaboration with three German universities. The four-year courses are organized bilingually, with one semester spent in Germany. Upon completing all required credits, graduates obtain a bachelor’s degree from USST as well as from the German university.
Committed to quality education, SGC has created a “quality circle” to manage and enhance its teaching. Specifically, the “quality circle” involves internal and external quality monitoring. The internal team consists of teachers and student representatives from each grade who convene regularly to evaluate curriculum systems and the quality of teaching. The external quality monitoring includes enterprises’ feedback on graduates and internships from the college, their expectations for employees and suggestions on teaching.
Additionally, the college conducts graduate surveys on a regular basis to gauge their advice and opinions on teaching and student cultivation.
The SGC study programs fulfill both Chinese criteria and the requirements of the Accreditation Agency for Study Programs in Engineering, Informatics, Natural Sciences and Mathematics (or ASIIN) in Germany.
In 2018, the three study programs offered by Shanghai-Hamburg College — electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and international economy and trade — passed the reassessment of the ASIIN, which is valid until 2025. SGC also upholds high standards for its students. For example, mechanical engineering graduates are encouraged to master professional expertise and engineering skills while achieving fluency in German.
According to the college regulations, students that fail a course are allowed to take the makeup test twice. If they still don’t qualify, they are transferred to other colleges to continue their studies and gain only one degree. Since 1998, the three study programs have enrolled 1,912 students, of which 1,240 have graduated.
Liu Kun, a member of the class of 2004, said he has made some accomplishments in his career thanks to the study and training he received at the college. After graduation from SGC, Liu’s first job was a translator at Schuler, a German press maker. Now he serves as a quality expert in Huawei’s intelligent automotive solution business unit.
Reflecting on his college years, Liu said they were “busy and stressful”, but benefited him greatly.