In 2005 a collaboration between the Beihang University,School of Automation Science and Electrical Engineering, Beijing and the University of Paderborn, Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies was established.

Since 2007 DAAD, the German Academic Exchange Service, has been supporting the exchange of students and faculty between the two universities. In  particular  the ISAP program enables students to spend a semester at the respective partner university. Besides taking courses and taking part in research the participants are getting a unique experience of a different life style and a cultural exchange. Moreover they are able to provide some knowledge of their own home culture and customs to the people they they are visiting. The program offers an excellent opportunity to learn about all aspects of a foreign university system, culture, lifestyle, language, food and cooking.