Learning about the structural change of the Ruhr Area from all angles was the motivation of 17 students from Changan University in China for enrolling in the Rub Summer School 2019 of Akademie der Ruhr-University Bochum, which ran from July 15th to 28th. Lectures and workshops were accompanied by a visit to the biggest soccer-stadium in Europe (BVB), to the Museum Unter Tage (Museum Underground) and to the science park in Gelsenkirchen.
They will never forget the tour of Thyssen Krupp in Duisburg, one of the biggest steel plants in the world. On the hottest day of 2019 (yet) the group was really grateful for the air conditioned bus that drove us around the premises, after having witnessed the fascinating processing of glaringly hot melted metal to steel.
In an interesting mix of old traditions and new technologies the impressive history of the Ruhr area came up again and again while woven into aspects of the structural change like a meet & greet with start-up founders of the area, from companies such as emproof or Aware7. The famous Fries & Currywurst were tried, as was a German barbecue evening. A special highlight must have been the semester closing party, where our guests from the Far East could see how students from Bochum blow off steam after studying for their tests.
We are grateful for the wonderful time we had and hope to welcome some of the students back one day, maybe as guest students at Ruhr-University Bochum.
