Academic term
In most countries, the academic year begins in late summer or early autumn and ends during the following spring or summer. In Northern Hemisphere countries, this means that the academic year lasts from August, September, or October to May, June, or July. In Southern Hemisphere countries, the academic year aligns with the calendar year, lasting from February or March to November or December. The summer may or may not be part of the term system.
International years of science
The slogan "Together on the road to knowledge" was the motto of the German-Chinese Year of Science and Education 2009/10, which took place from March 2009 to June 2010. German and Chinese players in science, education, politics and society came together at more than 200 events, workshops and delegation visits, which included the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting with young Chinese research talent in attendance, and the BMBF's participation in events jointly organized by Germany and China in Shenyang and Wuhan on the topic of "sustainable urban development" during the campaign “Germany and China – Moving Ahead Together" (DuC), which attracted more than 300,000 visitors each. In addition, students and scientists gathered information on further activities of the Science Year, about German education and research institutions and research funding opportunities. In Germany the first ever “China Weeks” were held at 47 German universities to provide information about the partner country to the public and to draw attention to the potential of German-Chinese cooperation in higher education and research. A film contest was also launched during the Science Year. The BMBF provided funding worth some two million euros to German research projects with a focus on China. Key areas of the cooperation included cutting-edge research on climate, energy and health issues, as well as activities in the areas of vocational training and higher education. The first and second German-Chinese intergovernmental consultations (2011: Berlin; 2012: Beijing) raised cooperation between the two countries to a new level. In total, seven joint declarations on education and research topics were signed during the intergovernmental consultations. The range of topics in the cooperation between the BMBF and China in the higher education sector (students, graduate students, scientist exchanges, universities) and in vocational education and training was addressed in joint activities in various research disciplines such as innovation research, life sciences, environment/ecology, LED technologies, geosciences, marine research or cultural heritage.