The Catholic University of Murcia, in collaboration with the National Academy of Soccer and Basketball of China, held a graduation ceremony in the Shandong Sports University (China) for over 150 students who studied in the course “Pedagogy of Training in Football and Basketball”. The course was designed and taught by Álvaro Díaz Aroca, a professor from the Faculty of Sports, and a researcher at UCAM.

The Spanish and the Chinese university made an agreement to collaborate in 2017, and professor Álvaro Díaz Aroca was invited by Shangdong Sports University to go to China and train the students. The professor commented that he had been worried about the big cultural differences before coming to China, but that he had worried for no reason. He did conclude, that the gastronomy is very different between Murcia and Shangdong, and that was where he noticed the most cultural differences.

He also noticed differences between the students from the two countries. Chinese students are more disciplined, according to Álvaro Díaz, and they don’t speak in class like the Spanish students do, which is something very cultural in Spain. Of course, the teaching methods are also very different in each of the countries, both of them unique and beneficial in their own way. During his stay in China, the UCAM professor of sports made great friends with his students, and will remember the country with warmth.

The Dean of the Sports Faculty of Shandong Sport University, Lan Zhang, participated in the graduation ceremony together with professor Álvaro Díaz Aroca as the academic representative of UCAM, and Zhen Guan Hao, educational delegate and Marketing Manager of UCAM in the Beijing office. The 2 month course was taught in the Rizhao campus of the Shandong Sport University, in the province of Shandong (northeastern China).