Visitors look at books collected by the Goethe-Institut China Photo: Courtesy of Li Yinjun, Goethe-Institut China

The Goethe-Institut China recently held an Open Day event in Beijing, designed to engage lovers of German culture in China. The fair featured a diverse range of cultural and educational activities and attracted a large number of student visitors.

Events such as a "mini lecture" for learning the German language and a "summer research lab" were designed for young visitors. These activities encouraged participants to learn the language while also acquiring scientific knowledge.

A lecture was also designed to provide practical advice for people who want to study in Germany.

Li Yuan, a project specialist at the Beijing office of Der Deutsche Akademische Austauschdienst (DDAA), introduced at the event that Germany is a country that boasts more than 120 comprehensive universities and around 57 institutes for art and music.

Higher-education institutions in the country are widely appraised by international students, including students from China. Subjects such as engineering, sociology, art and cultural studies are popular among Chinese students.

Sabine Wilmes, the deputy director of the Goethe-Institut in Beijing, said at the event that she has observed a growing enthusiasm among Chinese people for learning German. She suggested that this trend might be linked to the increased emphasis on technology, science, and other disciplines at universities worldwide.

"At the same time, the German people's enthusiasm for foreign language learning also continues to grow; there is greater interest in learning Chinese," Wilmes emphasized.

Including the current Open Day event, the Goethe-Institut China has made promoting cultural sharing between China and Germany a routine part of its operations.

In 2023, the institute launched a film event staging German indie productions such as When Will It Be Again Like It Never Was Before directed by Sonja Heiss in Beijing. The film was one of the 12 productions screened for audiences free of charge at the Beijing institute.

Robin Mallick, the head of the Institute, told the Global Times that he expects Chinese audiences to see the openness and diversity of German culture through these productions.

"I think so far everyone, who has had the chance to come to China after four years, has been extremely impressed by the complex realities of life here. I believe you can only truly understand this once you come here to China," he said.