Sino-Finnish Exchange Program

芬兰梅沙交换项目 国际教育

Since 2007, Shenzhen Middle School has established a bilateral partnership with 3 of Jarvenpaa’s high schools in Finland. This long-distance cooperative partnership led to multiple course development in economics, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and other disciplines from the partners schools. Much of the research & practice have resulted in positive learning experiences.

 

As a result of this partnership, Vanke Meisha Academy (VMA) followed the partnership model of Shenzhen Middle School and established a new exchange program with schools in Jarvenpaa. This exchange aligned with our commitment to cultivating Meisha students "world citizens and leaders with Chinese Identity". In 2016, we introduced the Sino-Finnish Exchange program into Vanke Meisha Academy, providing a platform for Meisha students to practice & understand Nordic culture in Finland. In 2018, we introduced project-based learning modules on the basis to deepen the cultural experience & learn about the best case practices of teaching & learning between both China & Finland.

What is this program about?

Finnish students undertaking their first ever martial arts course at VMA – students were then tasked to write up a project report regarding their experiences. (November, 2018)


The VMA Sino-Finnish Exchange program starts recruiting students every March. From March to November, this exchange program takes students and teachers from both sides of the world to reunite with the other to learn and share from each other. In the first part of this program, VMA teachers lead the students to Finland for a week in August, living together with Finnish students and their host family to experience authentic Finnish lifestyle and campus living.

During the second part of our program, teachers and students from Finland pay a return visit to Vanke Meisha Academy for a week in November to experience a unique cultural exchange. In this exchange, VMA students share much of their Chinese culture & ways of learning with their fellow Finnish classmates. This culmination of Sino-Finnish visits not only strengthen the understanding of the cultural context for learning, but inadvertently fosters long lasting relationship amongst the participants of the program each year.

 I got acquainted with a group of new partners and fought with them side by side to carry out the subject research which lasted for three months. This exchange program also allowed me to understood the thinking mode of the Finnish people. I have gained much valuable practical experience from our research. I am so grateful!

YANG Shuwen, Vanke Meisha Academy

A reunion of the VMA Sino-Finnish Exchange in 2019 – students from both sides came together at Meisha Beach for a cultural exchange signifying the 3rd year of the partnership.

VMA’s Welcome Ceremony – Finnish students & teachers were reunited & greeted at our theater studio at VMA by our very own students & teachers. (November, 2018)

Compared to Finnish education I was most impressed and amazed by the variety of different kinds of projects and ways of teaching. In VMA the students had more projects that were made with teammates. There were also some really cool and unique ways that the students were able to learn new things. Even though students had many different projects going on they still seemed really motivated. I was also happily surprised by how many different clubs there were for different activities.

Even though this was my second time in China, once again I was surprised by the number of people and the traffic. I don't think I will ever get totally used to it. This time I also noticed that Finnish and Chinese people have really different ways of doing some things which was really interesting to see. Also, just like last time I was again able to find new very delicious food that I will miss.

Iida Husso from Jarvenpaa school,2019