September 12-23, 2016: Taganrog Civil Engineering College no.30 welcomed a delegation from its partner school in Lüdenscheid, Germany within the framework of an exchange program.

Russian college and its German counterpart - vocational-technical school, BKT Lüdenscheid - Berufskolleg für Technik have been developing cooperation since 2011. Previous BKT's delegation came to Taganrog on October 20-30, 2014. In 2016, young Lüdenscheiders go through a traineeship program at the partner college, attend trainings at several local companies and workshops. German boys were also offered a sports program, and took part in a series of friendly football, volleyball and basketball matches.

September 22 German delegation of 8 students and 3 teachers led by Mr. Mike Wegner was received at Taganrog City Hall by Mrs. Yelena Shelukhina, Deputy City Manager for Social Affairs. Mrs. Natalia Mikhalyova, director of Taganrog Civil Engineering College no.30 briefly introduced participants of the meeting and presented a summary of their exchange programs. Yelena Shelukhina reminded German students about long-established relations between the two countries and a special connection of Taganrog to Germany through Anton Chekhov, Alexander I, Germans in the history of Taganrog and the continuing exchanges with Lüdenscheid and Badenweiler.

Alexander Turowez, the only Russian-speaking member of BKT's delegation shared, on behalf of all students, impressions of the visit to the home city of Anton Chekhov, its historic downtown area and the friendly people of Taganrog. At the end of the meeting Mrs. Shelukhina and Mr. Wegner exchanged souvenirs and letters - one signed by Lüdenscheid's mayor Dieter Dzewas, and another by Taganrog's Deputy City Manager Alexey Makhov.

Guests from Lüdenscheid made a tour of Taganrog museums, visited the cities of Starocherkassk, Novocherkassk and Rostov on Don. Taganrog Civil Engineering College plans a return visit in May 2017.