On December 11, Xiamen University participated in the Symposium on International Chinese Language Education in Africa & the Launching Ceremony for the League of International Chinese Language Education in Africa. The event is one of the serial events for “International Chinese Language Education Week 2021” hosted by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation under the Ministry of Education.

Ma Jianfei, Director of the Center for Language Education and Cooperation, noted that language education has played an active role in China-Africa cooperation in various fields. Sixteen African countries have incorporated Chinese into their national education systems. Over thirty African universities have set up Chinese or Chinese Teaching disciplines. Thousands of Chinese students have become the backbone in African development and promoted friendship between China and Africa. He stressed that Chinese language education in Africa requires coordinated collaboration, demand-oriented efforts, utilization of technology and localization.

The League of International Chinese Language Education in Africa was jointly initiated by 64 Chinese and African higher education institutions, vocational colleges, enterprises and industrial associations under the initiative of Zhejiang Normal University.

As one of the initiating institutions, Xiamen University signed a cooperative framework agreement with Nigeria Yongxing Steel Company Ltd. at the ceremony. Yongxing has long supported the Confucius Institute at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nigeria, co-built by XMU. Therefore, signing the agreement is a significant action to further the integrative development of the university’s international Chinese language education and vocational training and establish a training mechanism for interdisciplinary professionals.

On the Symposium, representatives of the attending institutions respectively delivered a report on the topics of localization of Chinese language education in Africa, research on language services, research on vocational training and the conditions of Chinese language education in different African countries. As one of the audience, XMU Center for Language Education and Cooperation also benefited from the reports in terms of international Chinese language education and the work of Confucius Institutes.

In the evening, during the university-enterprise meeting on “Chinese plus vocational skills” education in Africa, Chen Zhiwei, Dean of XMU Chinese International Education College/Overseas Education College introduced the two Confucius Institutes in Africa co-built by XMU. She said XMU will actively develop “Chinese plus vocational skills” courses drawing on XMU’s advantages in humanities and educational resources. XMU will contribute its fair share for Chinese language education in Africa by providing customized curricular based on demand, joint training and in-house training.