Bennett’s experience report from Zaozhuang and Shijiazhuang
It is precisely when you realise how much you yourself are still learning whilst teaching that a teaching post becomes a genuine experience.
Bennett
Visiting lecturer at universities in Zaozhuang and Shijiazhuang
in the Department of Industrial Engineering
Two visits to China as a visiting lecturer
In 2023, I travelled to China for three weeks – to Zaozhuang, to be precise. My role was to teach logistics, international transport and IT in logistics at the local university. A year later, in 2024, I made a second visit, this time spending two weeks in Shijiazhuang, where I taught automotive modules.
I hadn’t really imagined beforehand that I would one day be standing in front of a class in China. I studied industrial engineering at both Bachelor’s and Master’s level, and it was precisely this blend of technology and economic thinking that later helped me to familiarise myself with very different subject areas such as logistics and automotive engineering.
When I was asked if I could imagine teaching in China for a few weeks, I didn’t have to think twice. The opportunity to pass on my specialist knowledge in a completely different environment, whilst at the same time getting to know a country I’d previously only heard about in reports, appealed to me straight away.
Settling into a new daily routine
On both occasions, the beginning involved a bit of an adjustment. The time difference, the foreign language, a campus that was completely different from anything I’d known in Germany. But even after just a few days, I realised how quickly you settle into a new rhythm if you’re open to getting to know the local people.
Both in Zaozhuang and later in Shijiazhuang, I was given a very warm welcome right from the start. I was truly impressed by the hospitality shown to me. It was immediately clear that my local colleagues were doing everything they could to ensure that I, as a visiting lecturer, felt at home.
Teaching in logistics, transport and IT
In Shijiazhuang, my teaching centred on logistics, international transport and IT in logistics. Over the course of three weeks, the aim was not only to impart theoretical knowledge to the students, but also to give them a sense of how closely these topics are interlinked in practice.
The lessons were very well structured right from the start. This was partly down to the excellent preparation on the ground, but also to how disciplined and attentive the students were. Questions were asked, examples were discussed, and I rarely felt as though I was talking to a brick wall.
The link between international transport and IT-supported processes was particularly well received by the students. Many of them could very clearly picture themselves working in precisely these areas in the future, which made the exchange even more lively.
A year later: Automotive modules in Zaozhuang
In 2024, my second stay took me to Zaozhuang. There, I taught for two weeks on automotive modules, a subject that was quite different in terms of content but also fitted in very well with my background in industrial engineering.
Here, too, the teaching was clearly structured, and here, too, I found the students to be a highly motivated and cooperative group. It was lovely to see that some of the organisational impressions I’d gained in Shijiazhuang were confirmed, whilst at the same time new aspects emerged, because a different university, a different city and a different subject naturally bring with them a slightly different daily routine.
Life outside the classroom
What has particularly stayed with me from both stays was the carefree nature of life there. The evenings were often long; we’d eat together, chat and laugh, and there was always a sense that everyone was there for one another. I’d never experienced this kind of natural, unquestioning care for one another in quite this way before.
The food also won me over. The variety, the flavours, the way in which shared meals almost formed the social centrepiece of the day – that was one of the best aspects of my stay for me.
On both occasions, I used the weekends to visit the surrounding towns. This not only helped me grow personally, but also led to new friendships – some with other lecturers, others with people I met along the way. I’m still in touch with some of these people to this day.
What I’ve taken away from my time there
Looking back today, it wasn’t just a single experience that has stayed with me, but the sum of many small moments. The structured yet lively lessons. The openness of the students. The hospitality I was shown everywhere I went. And, last but not least, the feeling of being able to put my knowledge of industrial engineering to good use in two completely different departments: logistics and transport on the one hand, and automotive modules on the other.
Both placements, however different they were in terms of duration, location and subject matter, have enriched me in their own way. I can only pass on this experience and recommend it to anyone who has the opportunity to embark on something like this. Not only do you develop professionally, but you also get to know a completely different culture, different people and a different way of life that stays with you for a long time to come.
