Curious about China’s rapid rise as an economic superpower and its global impact? The China and the World Economy minor at Fontys offers an in-depth, practice-oriented programme that combines academic knowledge with international collaboration.

This 20-week minor (30 ECTS) takes place at the Fontys Rachelsmolen campus in Eindhoven and includes approximately 15–20 hours of contact time per week. The programme runs from September to January.

The centerpiece of the minor is a two-week study trip to Shanghai, where you collaborate with students and staff from the Shanghai Institute of Technology (SIT). This study trip is partially subsidized by Fontys and includes company visits, campus collaboration, cultural activities, and sightseeing. Please note that there are limited places available for this programme.

What will you learn in this minor?

The minor is designed to provide you with a thorough understanding of China’s economic transformation since the late 1970s and its far-reaching global implications. You will gain both theoretical insights and practical experience that prepare you for working with Chinese companies and organizations.

The educational approach of the minor consists of three key elements:

1. Multiple Perspectives

The programme provides an objective and balanced view of China’s development by incorporating both Western and Chinese perspectives.

2. Theoretical Foundation (15 ECTS)

You will explore China through historical, political, and sustainability lenses in three academic modules:

·        China since 1979 – An Historical Context

·        The Political Economy of Contemporary China

·        Smart Cities and Sustainability

These modules help you understand the economic, political, and environmental dimensions of China’s rise.

3. Practical Application (15 ECTS)

·       Research Project (10 ECTS)

You will work on a real-life research project with a client company in collaboration with students from the Shanghai Institute of Technology. The project starts in a hybrid setting and continues in person during the study trip to Shanghai. This unique collaboration allows you to gain first-hand experience working in an international, cross-cultural team within a professional context.

·       Student Reflection Portfolio (5 ECTS)

You will reflect on your academic development, intercultural collaboration, and professional growth throughout the minor.

What will you experience?

In Autumn, you will participate in a two-week study trip to Shanghai. Together with SIT students, you will continue working on the research project, visit companies in the region, and explore the economic and cultural landscape of one of the world’s most dynamic cities.

All travel, accommodation, visa arrangements, and activities in Shanghai are organized in collaboration with Fontys and the Shanghai Institute of Technology. The trip is subsidized by Fontys.

This structural collaboration with a Chinese partner university makes the minor a distinctive and unique opportunity within the Netherlands.

Minor regulation
The purpose of the minor regulation is to inform you about the subjects within the minor, how the testing is set up and when you have concluded the minor. Students can derive rights out of the text of the minor regulation.

·        Duration: September – January (20 weeks)

·        Study load: 30 ECTS

·        Contact hours: 15–20 hours per week

·        Location: Fontys Rachelsmolen campus, Eindhoven

·        Study trip: Two weeks in Shanghai (partially subsidized by Fontys)

·        Limited number of places available

For further questions, please contact the Minor Coordinators:

Anthony Murphy - anthony.murphy@fontys.nl You Wang y.wang@fontys.nl