1995: Start of collaboration in research and teaching between Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr. hc. mult. Manfred H. Pahl (Paderborn) and Prof. Dr. Li Qingling (Qingdao).

1999: Start of the exchange programme for students on the Mechanical Engineering degree programme between Qingdao and Paderborn.

2001: Signing of a cooperation agreement with the aim of training Chinese students on the Bachelor's degree programme in Mechanical Engineering, partly in German. The DAAD supports this course on offer at a German university abroad; the programme starts with 120 first-year students at the CDTF.

2003: Inauguration of the new CDTF college building on the new Laoshan Campus of the Qingdao University of Science and Technology (QUST).

2004: Fifty students transfer to Paderborn University to specialise in the Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering after completing their undergraduate studies and passing the TestDaF.

2004: Fifty students transfer to Paderborn University after completing their basic studies and passing the TestDaF to specialise in the Bachelor's degree programme in Mechanical Engineering.

2005: The CDTF has established itself in its catchment area: 221 first-year students start their studies in Mechanical Engineering. German companies support the project with scholarships for students.

2006: The first CDTF students take their Bachelor of Science exams in Paderborn. The CDTF expands its range of courses to include the Chemistry study programme, also in cooperation with Paderborn University.

2007: The Chinese-language specialisation in the Bachelor's degree programme in Mechanical Engineering is launched at the CDTF. An average of 10 Paderborn students spend one semester per year at the CDTF to write a thesis, among other things. 

2008: The CDTF renews the cooperation agreement with Paderborn University and concludes supplementary agreements with the University of Siegen and Koblenz University of Applied Sciences.

2009: The first CDTF students on the Bachelor's degree programme in Chemistry transfer to the specialisation course at Paderborn University. CDTF students achieve their Master of Science degree in Paderborn.
10 Chinese German teachers from the CDTF take part in a summer school in Paderborn. 

2010: Qingdao University of Science and Technology (QUST) celebrates its 60th anniversary. High-achieving students on the Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes in Mechanical Engineering receive scholarships from the DAAD in Paderborn.

2011: The CDTF can look back on 10 years of history. It celebrates this anniversary in Qingdao with many national and international guests. 
The first students from Qingdao start the Chemical Engineering study programme in Paderborn.

2012: The first CDTF Bachelor's graduates enrol on the Master's degree programme in Mechanical Engineering in Paderborn after additional language continuing/further education.
A programme with a summer school, a semester abroad in Qingdao and a Master's thesis in a German company in China is offered for German students in Mechanical Engineering. Details on "mb-cn" at http://mb.uni-paderborn.de/mb-cn/ . 

2013: The first German mb-cn students complete their semester abroad at the CDTF in the winter semester 2013/14.
High-performing CDTF students receive scholarships from the DAAD programme "German Universities Abroad" in Paderborn.
Seven Chinese graduates of the Master's degree programme in Mechanical Engineering with excellent final grades gain further academic qualifications in a doctoral programme. 

2014: The first German students successfully complete the "mb-cn" degree programme and find an interested and receptive labour market.
14 German students start the mb-cn programme with the summer school in Qingdao in September.

2015: In May, the CDTF dean's office and representatives of Paderborn University and other German university partners take a look at future cooperation. 20 students from Qingdao complete an intensive language course in Paderborn with funding from the DAAD.