First China Day for school pupils in Lower Franconia

To break down prejudices about China, provide access to the language and offer a nuanced glimpse behind the scenes of the country: these are the objectives pursued by the Department of Chinese Studies at the University of Würzburg through the project ‘Campus Meets School Lower Franconia’, which was launched in 2023. As part of this, the department’s lecturers regularly run China study groups at grammar schools in Würzburg, Schweinfurt, Aschaffenburg and Erlenbach am Main, as well as an online study group.

Campus Meets School Lower Franconia

The Department of Chinese Studies’ project comprises a three-part programme for secondary schools in Lower Franconia: China study groups, lectures and professional development courses for teachers. The university’s lecturers primarily provide an introduction to the Mandarin language. However, they also offer pupils and teachers a multifaceted perspective on China. The project is open to further partner schools.

As part of the collaboration, the first ‘China Day’ took place at the university on 19 June 2026. It was designed in particular to enable participants in the online club to meet in person and get a taste of university life. Seventeen pupils aged between 12 and 17 took part.

A treasure hunt through interactive stations

The guests spent an afternoon at the university taking part in a varied treasure hunt. They had the chance to try their hand at calligraphy and the martial art of Kung Fu, sample tea and fill Chinese dumplings themselves. They also gained an insight into the art of paper cutting and tying traditional Chinese knots. A chopstick challenge and a visit to the institute’s library were also on the programme.

Of course, China Day also provided opportunities for discussions centred on the pupils’ interests and, in some cases, those of their parents.

The mother of two participants sent the following feedback to the Department of Chinese Studies: “I wanted to write to you to emphasise just how thrilled our boys were with China Day. They particularly enjoyed the variety of stations and activities on offer. Back at home, our son showed me the characters he’d written in the calligraphy workshop, full of joy and a touch of pride, and told me all about his experiences with great enthusiasm.”

The Sinology team organised China Day in collaboration with the University’s China Competence Centre (CCCUW) and the Sinology Student Association.

China Education Network

The ‘Campus Meets School Lower Franconia’ project is funded by the China Education Network. Founded in 2020 by the Mercator Foundation and the Goethe-Institut, the initiative aims to bring China’s language, culture and history into schools. Since the 2023/24 academic year, six universities and higher education institutions have been taking part – in Berlin, Kiel, Münster, Trier, Würzburg and Zwickau.