European Chinese Language and Culture Programme (ECLC)
Students of the University of Würzburg have had the opportunity to study at Peking University for a full semester (five months: March to July for Bachelor students or September to January for Master students) since the summer semester of 2002. To this purpose, the University of Würzburg, together with the Universities of Aarhus and Oslo, maintains its own programme and permanently staffed office at School of International Studies (SIS) at Peking University.
Peking University is China's oldest and most prestigious university. In China, it is regularly ranked among the top five universities and internationally it is listed in the top 100 higher education facilities.
The study semester at Peking University is fully interated and accredited as part of the following programmes: 'Modern China BA' (4th semester), 'Chinese Studies MA' (3rd semester), 'China Language and Economy MA' (3rd semester), 'Chinese Politics and Society MA' (3rd semester) and the language branch of the minor programme 'Modern Chinese BA' (4th semester). Students who have successfully completed a General Key Qualifications (ASQ) study element, for instance the 'Sinicum' or 'Chinese for Economists', up to and including the third semester also have the opportunity to participate in the semester abroad as part of the ECLC.
In Beijing, intensive language training is offered in 20 lessons per week, as well as content courses within the ECLC programme (for Bachelor and ASQ students) and at various faculties of Peking University (for Master students) by qualified Chinese teachers. The ECLC office supervises and accompanies the classes, prepares its own teaching material and organizes accommodation and social programmes for students.
There is a fee for the study stay at Peking University. Participants in the ECLC programme pay a reduced tuition fee of RMB 14.000 (as of 2020: approx. 1800 Euros), plus flight costs (2020: approx. 700 Euros), visa costs (2020: approx. 175 Euros) and, if not arranged elsewhere, international health insurance (2020: approx. 180 Euros). Accomodation and food are not included in the tuition fee. The costs for a room in a shared flat in Beijing near Peking University are similar to the costs of a shared appartment in Würzburg. All other living expenses (e.g. costs for electricity, gas, water, public transport, food, etc.) are usually much lower than in Germany. The Sinology department supports students wishing to apply for mobility grants. Since the study stay at the ECLC is a fully integrated semester abroad, Sinology students are given priority in application for certain programmes. In recent years, up to ten students per year have been funded, with the average funding of a one-time grant reaching approximately 1000 Euros per capita (as of 2020).
Student receive intensive preparation for their stay in Beijing during preparatory and follow-up events. Preparatory sessions also cover support with student loan applications, visa applications, finding language partners, etc. All courses at the ECLC are regularly evaluated and revised. From 2002 to 2010, more than 300 students from Würzburg participated in the predecessor programme, the European Centre for Chinese Studies (ECCS), which received a total of 825 students from four universities. The experiences of all students were incorporated into the design and implementation of the ECLC programme. In the first contract period, from 2011 to 2015, more than 330 students from Würzburg, Aarhus and Oslo participated in the ECLC programme.
The ECLC programme also promotes academic exchange. For example, Chinese guest lectures from Peking University regularly come to Würzburg to do research and teach in the 'Modern China BA' and the 'Chinese Studies MA' programmes. Furthermore, the ECLC offers researchers from all faculties of the University of Würzburg support in their research and teaching endeavours at Peking University.
For more information on the ECLC programme, please visit the ECLC's official website.
