Partner Universities of the Month (October 2020)

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In October we will be going to Brittany to the UniLaSalle in Bruz near Rennes, France and to the Land of the Rising Sun to Kanagawa University in Yokohama, Japan.

Typical row of houses in Rennes (Image: Selby gemeinfrei auf Wikimedia)

If you search your own head for pictures of the term “France”, you might see the sparkling Eiffel Tower. Or possibly the famous Promenade des Anglais with its numerous beaches in Nice. Or, if you're sitting on your sofa at home, a nice bottle of Bordeaux wine from the city of the same name. Or even, if you are a comic lover, the small Gallic village in north-west France, which under no circumstances wants to succumb to the Romans.

For us, too, it should be about this village today. Well, not quite - we merely travel to the region where the stories about Asterix and Obelix are based: Today's Brittany. We visit our partner university in Bruz near Rennes, the École des Metiers de l'Environnement (University of Environmental Sciences), or UniLaSalle. There is a reason why the university has two different names. Lasalle Universities are an international association of universities run by a private sponsor and named after Jean-Baptiste de La Salle, who advocated the establishment of schools and education for all in early Paris. Specifically, we are talking about the campus in Bruz near Rennes, which opened in 1992. Students of the ITT have the possibility to experience an intensive exchange in a modern atmosphere as only around 420 students study at this location. State-of-the-art equipment - such as a hydrogeological platform - and courses in English and French enable cutting-edge education. Don't worry: UniLaSalle also offers language courses in French. In addition, there are numerous offers in the areas of sport and culture. There is also affordable food in the cafeteria on campus.

Speaking of the campus: it is perfectly located in the middle between the small town of Bruz and one of the best student cities in France, Rennes. You can get here quickly from both cities with the regional train and city buses. Those who prefer it to be more small-town and rural will like Bruz. Rennes, on the other hand, is certainly the more attractive city with over 60,000 students and even has been attractive in Roman times thanks to its situation on the Vilain River. The Rennais also enjoy the mild climate of their city. The proximity to the ocean ensures mild temperatures without extreme fluctuations, and it will not rain any more than in Cologne.

École des metiers de l'environnement, UniLaSalle (Image: Chisloup gemeinfrei auf Wikimedia)

Fortunately, it rarely gets too hot, too cold, or too wet to explore. The old town with its fairytale half-timbered houses should definitely be on the list. There is something for all the senses here: For example, the second largest food market in France regularly takes place on Place des Lices. If you want to get to know the regional cuisine, this is the right place for you. You should absolutely try Galette Saucisses. International gourmets can also try foreign cuisine at Marché des Lices. There's something for the ears too: Numerous music festivals are based here, such as Les Transmusicales, Les tombées de la nuit, Mythos and Rock and Solex, the country's first student festival. The Fest-Noz, on the other hand, are more traditional. They are traditional folk dance events with dances from Brittany, which usually take place in the evening or at night. Incidentally, these folk festivals have been placed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2012.

However, there is also a lot to explore outside of Rennes. For example, there are the numerous coasts or wild forests. The Forêt de Brocéliande, a fabulous forest of myths, where the stories about King Arthur and the wizard Merlin take place, is only 45 minutes away from Rennes. If you're a fan of the sea, the picturesque coastal town of Saint-Malo is not to be missed. There are also some Bretons who are sure that Asterix' village is based on the small fishing village of Erquy. You will have to find out for yourself whether that is fact or local patriotism.

Kanagawa University, Yokohama Campus (Image: Irie428 gemeinfrei auf Wikimedia)

Especially in times of the corona pandemic, even the most travel-loving among us have learned simple tricks to make staying at come feel like being abroad: We watch our favorite shows in an exotic language, we listen to Latin American music to bring back the summer or we eat Sushi from the takeaway around the corner with chopsticks instead of a knife and fork. And yet, this nice feeling of being somewhere completely foreign just doesn't want to set in.

If you are looking for exactly this feeling, you have come to the right place at our partner university of the month of October! This month we travel to Japan and present Kanagawa University in Yokohama. Founded in 1928, this private university offered almost exclusively evening courses in its early years. Nowadays, almost 18,000 students study in the Faculties of Law, Social Sciences, Linguistics, Human Sciences and Engineering. Since 2018, students at TH Köln also have the opportunity to take part in an exchange here. Don't worry, there are also some courses that are taught in English. Additionally, the university offers special language courses for international students for anyone interested without prior language knowledge. There is also support for newly arrived students in the form of buddy programs and regular events. For those interested in sports, there are teams for numerous sports on campus, including American football, cheerleading, baseball, soccer and rugby, but also traditional Japanese sports such as Kendo and Ekiden.

The modern Yokohama with its Landmark Tower, which with 70 floors was the tallest building in Japan until 2013. (Image: Marc Antomattei gemeinfrei auf Wikimedia)

Those who prefer to spend their free time outside of the university will certainly feel right at home in Yokohama, Japan's second largest city. With almost 4 million inhabitants, there is always something going on here. Should you crave even more action, the metropolis of Tokyo can be reached in under an hour by train.

However, it would actually be a shame to leave Yokohama just for another city, because this multicultural city is inspiring. Thanks to the subtropical climate, you can go on discovery trips almost all year round - you will merely get a little wet in the summer months. Should it rain, the knowledgeable visitor can marvel at exhibits in world-famous museums. We're not just talking about art here, even though the Museum of Art is impressive. The Ramen Museum, a type of Japanese instant noodle, is also a must-see. If you prefer to see something living, Zoorasia, an impressive zoo just outside, is not to be missed. Somewhat extraordinary creatures can be watched at the annual Pikachu Outbreak Festival. At this festival, the well-known yellow Pokémon don't just parade through the city. There are also concerts or light shows everywhere in front of the breathtaking backdrop of the port city. Speaking of which, the skyline is best viewed either from the Osanbashi Yokohama International Passenger Terminal, where a small garden with numerous wooden steps is installed on the ferry terminal, or from the Yokohama Landmark Tower, the tallest building in the city. If your stomach is rumbling after a day like this, Karaage, a Japanese street food in Bashi Shotengai, a traditional shopping mall, could be a good decision. Alternatively, a culinary detour to Chinatown, the largest Chinese neighborhood in Japan, is certainly not a bad idea.

For some, this urban jungle can quickly become too much. Luckily, Japan's gardening culture is still well cared for. Yamashita Park, for example, invites you to a stroll along the waterfront. Sankeien Garden, on the other hand, is a lot more traditionally Far Eastern. This garden was built at the turn of the century and offers small rivers and lakes as well as traditional pagodas to take a quick rest. For real nature lovers there is the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park near the metropolis. Alternatively, you can just marvel at how the sunset turns the Fuji volcano in the distance orange.

All right, our to-do list for everyone with wanderlust is: Definitely watch the latest anime in original sound, get your old Pokémon trading cards from the attic and urgently learn to eat correctly with chopsticks.

If you would like to get an impression of living and studying in Yokohama and Kanagawa University, we warmly recommend our testimonials from former exchange students (PDFs for download).