Students at aviation school learn from French experts

TIANJIN－Zhong Zhendong, a senior student at the Sino-European Institute of Aviation Engineering, will soon start his internship at an aircraft maintenance firm in Chongqing. Before he left his school in Tianjin, he and his peers were given an internship orientation by Bruno Haller, the institute's co-director.

"Mr Haller told us to pay attention to learning how a company operates during our internship. I totally agree with him," says Zhong, adding that the school provides students with internship opportunities.

With several aircraft parking on the apron, the airport-like school campus in Tianjin was jointly set up by the Civil Aviation University of China and GEA France in 2007.

Haller has years of experience working with the French Civil Aviation Authority. He has served as SIAE's co-director in Tianjin since 2019. He says the campus reminds him of his younger days when he was pursuing his aviation dream.

The aviation veteran has contributed to integrating the French engineering school system into SIAE's teaching. General courses such as mathematics, physics and French, as well as professional courses related to aeronautical engineering and management are taught by a group of teachers from both China and France.

"Through six to seven years of intensive learning, our students get not only the bachelor's degree and master's degree but also the diploma of engineering from the French schooling system," says Haller.

"They are knowledgeable both in languages and engineering, which also means they need to work harder in school."

Students are required to do eight months of internship, including blue-collar training, technical training and professional exercise before graduation.

Ren Ruolan, an 18-year-old student, says she was attracted by the school's system when signing for it.

"I had a very busy schedule during my freshman year here. I studied French from scratch. Most of the courses like mathematics and physics were taught in French. Examination papers are also required to be written in the French language. I really worked hard to catch up," says Ren.

Lin Lanhui, who will graduate next year, has already got used to the busy life. "I had to learn around 25 courses in an academic year after I started my engineering education in postgraduate study. I improved a lot after six years of study."

Tianjin saw the country's earliest domestic civil aviation routes launched in August 1950, linking the city with Beijing, Chongqing, Hankou in Hubei province and Guangzhou in Guangdong province. The city now houses Airbus' third final assembly line for single-aisle aircraft, the first one outside Europe.

SIAE has trained 500 graduates, about 70 to 80 graduates a year on average, supporting the rapid development of China's civil aviation industry.

"Civil aviation needs sustainable development. Reducing carbon emissions and designing environmentally friendly aircraft are missions for the global aviation industry. It is an opportunity for our students, and we are trying to cultivate talent in this area," says Haller.

Xinhua