BEYOND ENGINEERING: THE STORY OF LIU CHANG

ALUMNUS IN FOCUS

Liu Chang was not just a master’s student in Electronics Engineering Technology on Group T Leuven Campus. She was also a unique example of the China-Belgium industry and university collaboration. Moreover, she is remembered as a gifted artist, who surprised the audience of the ‘Group T goes classic’ concert with a masterly performance of Franz Schubert’s Fantasia for piano fourhanded.

“ My study at Group T Leuven Campus was sponsored by the Chinese car company Geely”, Liu Chang explains. “It is a multinational automotive company whose head - quarters are located in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, not far from Shanghai. Geely has acquired Volvo cars in 2010 and soon at the Volvo plant in Ghent the first Chinesecars will be produced for the European market. Geely’s human resources department is more than ever looking for promising engineering talent, offering Chinese students scholarships to study abroad but also offering internships to Belgian students in China. As a matter of fact, I was a real-case example. Thanks to the company, I was able to study at KU Leuven and realise my dreams”.

Liu Chang

Interacting

After her arrival in Leuven, Liu Chang studied Dutch and French at the language institutes ILT and CLT of KU Leuven. “I know how important languages are in Belgium and in the European Union. I love interacting with people from different back grounds, meeting and studying new cultures and customs, meanwhile promoting and spreading Chinese language and culture as well. Engineering as such may sometimes be narrow-minded, but culture on the contrary makes you feel open-minded, comfortable and full of creativity. For example, I enjoy more dealing with people than with codes, machines, chips or electrical circuits”.

“Engineers should become more open-minded not only for technology but also for culture, realising that one is no longer a person of a certain nationality or background, but a world citizen.”

Bridge

Liu Chang’s mission as a ‘cultural engineer’ is to build a bridge between Asia and Europe. “For Europe, since I play the piano, I have an knowledge of classical music, its composers, arts and history. Since I love reading, learning languages and with my three years living in Leuven, I know many European writers and their works, which help me understand better the European society and people. What is more, I am always ready to meet and try things that are new to me. For Asia, I want to be an ambassador of Chinese language and culture. By the way, did you notice my dress today? It’s a Qi Pao , a traditional Chinese fashion dated back to the nineteen twenties, especially popular in Shanghai. It was the dress of that time and ladies then wore it everyday. I took four Qi Pao’s to Europe to show a beautiful yet impressive aspect of Chinese culture to my friends here”.

“But Asia is more than China. For example, I am also interested in Japanese culture. I studied Japanese for one year when I was in China and I am a big fan of Japanese literature, movie and painting”.

World citizen

“It is a pity that even now in the 21th century, students are still used to form their own small groups without intending to integrate with each other”, Liu Chang says. “I am more of an adventurer tending to break through the so called ‘comfort zone’. From my three years' living in Europe, I have got good friends from Portugal, Greece, Italy, Iceland, England, Ireland, Canada and Belgium. It is such a great treasure for me. Engineers should become more open-minded not only for technology but also for culture, realising that one is no longer a person of a certain nationality or background, but a world citizen. Then they will see the similarities instead of focusing on the distinctions. That is how I understand ‘beyond engineering’”.

Yves Persoons