WHEN? February 10 – June 15, 2025
Visit the DigiCampus website for a listing of ReConnect courses. You can enroll in this course once the course period has started.
This course offers a comprehensive introduction to the relations between the European Union (EU) and China. It is designed for learners who wish to develop a foundational understanding of key issues in Sino-EU relations and how they have evolved in the recent global context. Upon completing this course, participants will possess the essential tools to analyze the dynamically evolving relationship between the EU and China. They will also be acquainted with the primary sources of information on Sino-European relations, enabling them to continue engaging and learning even after completing the course.
COURSE MODULES
- Historical background
- Political relations
- Economic and societal relations
- EU-China relations in global context
- Interdependence between EU and China
CONTENTS
This course comprises five thematic modules. It commences with a brief historical overview of the relations between Europe and China up until the 1970s. Understanding the prior semi-colonial ties and the contemporary divergent bilateral relations between China and European countries is crucial for comprehending current developments.
The next two modules are designed to provide fundamental knowledge about the current political, economic, and societal relations between the EU and China. The module titled “Political relations” elucidates the development of political relations since the 1970s and further elaborates on the specific approaches of Central and Eastern European countries towards China. It also explores the EU’s considerations on how to engage with China and vice versa.
The subsequent module introduces the expansion of Sino-EU economic relations, as well as the challenges within this domain. It also covers the dynamics of the mobility of European citizens to China and Chinese citizens to Europe. The fourth module places Sino-EU relations in a global context, particularly addressing the competition between the EU and China regarding narratives, connectivity, politics, and the economy.
The final module ties together the previous modules by addressing dependencies between the EU and China and the EU’s strategies for de-risking.
MATERIALS
The core materials consist of short (20 min) recorded lectures and slide decks that are prepared by leading experts on China. In addition, the versatile learning materials include timelines, infographics, podcasts and open access online materials. Learners will also get acquainted with central sources of information about China, including selected Chinese webpages. The learning experience is enriched by various types of automatically graded assignments.
TAKEN AS
Asynchronous learning allows students to customize their study schedules and progress independently. Each module consists of learning materials, assignments and an exam. The assignments vary in length and difficulty, and have limitless attempts. The exams consist of six randomly selected multiple-choice questions. There are three attempts for each exam. In order to complete the course and receive a course certificate, students need to pass all assignments and exams within the course period.
The course is graded pass/fail. When students have successfully completed all assignments and exams, they may produce an automatically generated course certificate of completion. The certificate can be digitally verified. The course is worth 3 ECTS credits (ca 80 hours of work). The courses are run on the DigiCampus learning platform. Students can sign up on this page https://digicampus.fi/course/index.php?categoryid=247.
For more information, please contact Dr Outi Luova at outi.luova@utu.fi, CEAS, University of Turku