Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) News, July 7 (Correspondents Lu Lu, Wu Tong; Photography by Lin Feng)
On July 3, the opening ceremony of the 2025 UK "Mandarin Excellence Programme" Summer Camp in China was held at our university. 112 students from 7 secondary schools in the UK officially embarked on an 11-day journey of Chinese language learning and cultural exchange, setting a new record for the number of participating schools and students in the eight years since the project was hosted by our university. Guests attending the ceremony included Liu Jianqing, Deputy Director of the Center for Language Education and Cooperation under the Ministry of Education; Sushil Saluja, Board Member of the British Council; Nick Thomas, Director of the British Council in China and Cultural Education Counsellor at the British Embassy in China; Donald Hu, Education Manager of the British Council in China; Shannon West, Director of Basic Education for British Schools at the British Council; Vanessa Dong, Education Project Manager of the British Council in China; and Zhu Xiaoming, Deputy Director of the Confucius Institute at UCL Institute of Education. Zhang Baojun, Vice President of Beijing Language and Culture University, also attended the event.
In his welcome speech, Vice President Zhang Baojun drew from his own experiences studying languages during his time in the UK to emphasize the important value of communication between people. He pointed out that Beijing Language and Culture University has always been committed to building platforms for high-level cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries. Over its 63 years since establishment, it has trained more than 300,000 foreign students from 189 countries and regions who understand Chinese and are familiar with Chinese culture. These alumni are active in fields such as diplomacy, business, academia, and education, making positive contributions to international exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations. He encouraged the students to boldly embrace the challenges of Chinese language learning during their study at BLCU, enjoy the fun of learning Chinese, make friends from various countries, and step out of the campus to explore more—experiencing China where ancient and modern cultures intertwine, feeling the diverse lifestyles and ways of thinking of local people, and discovering the true meaning of interpersonal communication.
Nick Thomas, Director of the British Council in China and Cultural Education Counsellor at the British Embassy in China, stated in his speech that learning Chinese is the best way to access Chinese culture, helping students understand the world from a new perspective and develop cross-cultural communication skills. He encouraged the students to cherish this opportunity, immerse themselves in Chinese culture, make friends, and turn this experience into motivation for future learning. Thomas expressed gratitude to the Center for Language Education and Cooperation under the Ministry of Education, Beijing Language and Culture University, and all host institutions for their efforts in the project.
Zhu Xiaoming, Deputy Director of the Confucius Institute at UCL Institute of Education, said in her speech that the "Mandarin Excellence Programme" has significantly elevated the level of Chinese language education in the UK. Through this summer camp, every student will benefit and it may even become a pivotal moment that changes the trajectory of their future lives. She urged the students to embrace challenges, make full use of their learning time in China, continuously enhance their Chinese proficiency, boost their confidence, hone their resilience, develop cross-cultural understanding, and enjoy this life-changing journey.
Liu Jianqing, Deputy Director of the Center for Language Education and Cooperation under the Ministry of Education, pointed out in his speech that language is the best key to understanding a country. In his congratulatory letter to the World Chinese Language Conference last year, President Xi Jinping emphasized that "Chinese carries the civilizational wisdom of the Chinese nation accumulated over thousands of years and is an important public cultural product that China contributes to the world." The Center for Language Education and Cooperation under the Ministry of Education will, as always, actively build bridges for language connectivity, mutual understanding and trust, and civilization mutual learning, helping more young people and schools from China and the UK to form partnerships, learn from each other, develop friendships, and grow together. He hoped that the students would make full use of this precious opportunity to study and live in China, make more Chinese friends, sow the seeds of friendship for the people of China and the UK, share this experience with their families and friends in the UK upon return, and actively participate in China-UK cultural exchanges in the future, becoming inheritors of China-UK friendship.
Student representatives speaking, from left to right: Laroslav Gusev, Bhavana Chatti, Emma Lynn, Angel Fashoranti, Vinyard Thomas.
At the opening ceremony, several student representatives shared their experiences of learning Chinese and expressed their eager anticipation for this summer camp. Laroslav Gusev from Beth Grammar School and Bhavana Chatti from Becket Keys CofE Secondary School said that Chinese language and culture are very interesting. They hope to continue improving their Chinese proficiency in China, taste authentic Chinese cuisine, and visit famous landmarks such as the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, and the Bird's Nest.
Emma Lynn from UCL Academy expressed her aspiration to speak fluent Mandarin, for which she practices listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Chinese every day. She was visibly excited about the opportunity to come to Beijing for the summer camp: "Finally, I have the chance to walk around and see China!" She hopes to make more Chinese friends, learn each other's languages and cultures, and build a more peaceful future through learning Chinese.
Angel Fashoranti from Pate’s Grammar School talked about the charm of Chinese characters and tones she has felt through learning Chinese. She hopes to have the opportunity during the summer camp to interact with more Chinese people, use Chinese to communicate with locals, and create unforgettable memories from this learning experience.
Vinyard Thomas from Cowley International College believes that language is crucial for everyone. Although Chinese is difficult, he has persevered and come to China with his friends. The summer camp will be a wonderful experience, and he is ready to immerse himself in a completely different culture while continuously improving his oral and writing skills.
The "Mandarin Excellence Programme" is a project established and funded by the UK Department for Education to cultivate outstanding Chinese language talents. Launched in 2016, it is organized and implemented by the UCL Institute of Education and the British Council, with support from the Center for Language Education and Cooperation under China's Ministry of Education for local Chinese teaching and immersive exchange activities in China. Since its inception, the project has helped over 15,000 students from nearly 80 secondary schools in England embark on the path to fluent Chinese mastery. This summer camp is hosted by 18 institutions including Beijing Language and Culture University, attracting nearly 1,200 students from 62 secondary schools. They will travel to 11 cities—Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Dalian, Shenyang, Tianjin, Xi'an, Kunming, Hangzhou, and Wuhan—to participate in cultural experience activities and enhance their Chinese language abilities. The summer camp is a positive response to President Xi Jinping's initiative proposed during his visit to France in 2024 to "double the scale of European youth exchanges to China in the next three years." It opens a window for British youth to gain a deeper understanding of China and serves as an important bridge for China-UK educational cooperation and people-to-people connectivity. Relevant officials from the International Chinese Language Education Practice and Research Base (Beijing Language and Culture University) attended the event.
Editor: Chen Siyuan
Reviewer: Yao Meixian
