On December 4, Qingdao Binhai University organized a cultural exploration and enterprise research trip for 11 international faculty members, who visited the Dagu River Museum in Jiaozhou and conducted field research at enterprises in the West Coast New Area.

In the morning, the international faculty team first arrived at the Dagu River Museum, known as the “Cultural Window of the Mother River of Eastern Shandong.” Through the museum’s rich collections of cultural relics, vivid scene reconstructions, and engaging explanations by the staff, the faculty members gained a systematic understanding of the natural ecological changes, historical development, and folk traditions of the Dagu River basin from ancient times to the present. They showed particular interest in the exhibition hall on Banqiao Town along the Maritime Silk Road and the display areas featuring traditional crafts such as Jiaozhou black pottery. The participants noted that the visit was not only a valuable lesson in history and culture, but also helped them clearly recognize the important role that Jiaozhou—and Qingdao as a whole—has played in economic, trade, and cultural exchanges both in ancient times and today.

In the afternoon, the team visited ZF Commercial Vehicle Systems (Qingdao) Co., Ltd. for on-site research. He Jingqing, Second-Level Researcher from the Human Resources and Social Security Bureau of Qingdao West Coast New Area, Song Yanqiang, Head of the Talent Development Section, and Qiao Shipao, Director of the Office of International Exchange and Cooperation at Qingdao Binhai University, accompanied the international faculty during the visit. Guided by company representatives, the faculty toured the advanced production lines at ZF’s Qingdao base, gaining in-depth insights into core safety systems for commercial vehicles and cutting-edge braking technologies. They also experienced firsthand the rigor and efficiency of the company’s Lean Six Sigma management system and the strong capabilities of “Intelligent Manufacturing in China.” In-depth discussions were held with the company on topics such as the practical application of technologies and talent development needs within the industry. The team later also visited Yangtze International.

Previously, on October 31, Qingdao Binhai University participated in the 25th Qingdao International Conference on International Economic Cooperation (Qingdao Summit), during which it established a cross-regional and cross-sector collaborative talent cultivation mechanism with ZF Commercial Vehicle Systems (Qingdao) Co., Ltd. and Qingdao Yangtze International Economic and Technical Cooperation Co., Ltd. The visit by international faculty to ZF and Yangtze International represents a concrete implementation of this collaborative mechanism.

Through this cultural experience and in-depth enterprise research, the international faculty members enriched their lives in China while gaining a deeper appreciation of Qingdao’s cultural heritage and industrial vitality. At the same time, the activities further strengthened university–enterprise cooperation and will help ensure the effective implementation of the cross-regional and cross-sector collaborative talent cultivation mechanism.