Qingdao, home to the only internationally recognized Chinese beer, is the biggest maritime city of Shandong Province. With an annual beer festival and beaches up and down the coast, Qingdao is a student's paradise. In international history, Qingdao was once a Germany colony, and still retains the German style architecture in its central district and churches. From a Chinese point of view, the Province of Shandong in which Qingdao is situated is really the heartland of China. The birthplace of philosopher Confucious and writer Lu Xun, and even the reputed place of origin of football, a study visit to Shandong's Qingdao city gives you a real taste of China, ancient and modern.

Qingdao, meaning 'lush island', is scenically located between the Taoist mountains of Lao Shan and the East China Sea. Lao Shan, only 30 kilometers away from the city, is the nearest mountain range. The spring water from Lao Shan is used to make the local favourites, Lao Shan Beer and Lao Shan Cola. Qingdao's outlying beaches are great for exploring and are best enjoyed from May to October each year. With around three million city dwellers in total, Qingdao's main expatriate community comprises of some 60,000 South Koreans, from the nearest country across the sea.

Selected as the host city for the sailing competitions of the 2008 Olympics, modern-day Qingdao is an entrepreneurial and forward-thinking hub of activity. Opportunities are plenty in a city that reminds one of a miniature Shanghai with high ambitions. Qingdao is now a manufacturing center, and home to Haier Corporation, a major electronics firm. As early as 1984, the Chinese government named Qingdao a Special Economic Zone and as a result, the city had gone through this amazing development of secondary and tertiary industries. As an important trading port in the province, Qingdao has gained a lot of investment, mostly from neighbours in South Korea and Japan.

After Qingdao was colonised by Germany in 1897, it was given a European flavour in its buildings, churches and industries. When the First World War broke out in 1914, Japanese invaders took over Qingdao and continued the colonial rule.In protest against the then Chinese government yielding to Japanese pressure, the famous May 4th Movement was launched in 1919 and protestors demanded the resumption of sovereignty over Qingdao.In 1938, the Japanese invaded Qingdao again, but their occupation came to an end in September 1945 when the KMT government regained control of the city. In 1949 Qingdao was liberated.Still strategic to this day, Qingdao is now not only a modern port city, but also the headquarters of the Chinese navy's northern fleet.

Studying at one of two of Qingdao's best universities, Qingdao University and Ocean University China, will give you an edge on all things to do with shipping and international trade. With relatively few foreign students, the city's economy is growing at such a pace that employment opportunities abound in foreign representative offices and Chinese manufacturing bases. Qingdao University offers a full range of courses from humanities to sciences, whereas Ocean University China has courses specializing in trade, logistics and the environment of the sea.

Qingdao University (QU) is a new comprehensive university in Shandong Province, which was combined with the former Qingdao University, Shandong Textile Engineering Institute, Qingdao Medical College and Qingdao Teachers' College in 1993. Qingdao University comprises of 25 colleges with undergraduate programs in languages, history, philosophy, law, economics, management, natural sciences, engineering, medical science, and education.

In 2001, the State Oceanic Administration and Qingdao Municipal Government agreed to work on having Ocean University China become a key institution, renowned for its Marine Science. The Ocean University China offers courses in Science, Engineering, Agronomy (Fisheries), and Economics, among others. This university is especially renowned for its Oceanography.As it is often stated, Ocean University 'nestles against hills and faces the blue sea'.