Xiamen University Delegation Visit

On the morning of June 11 (local time), a delegation from Xiamen University visited the Confucius Institute at Newcastle University in the UK. The delegation was led by Professor Zhang Rong, Chair of Xiamen University Council, and included Ms. Yu Hongbo, Executive Director of the Office of International Cooperation and Exchange, and Professor Pan Chaoqing, Deputy Dean of the College of International Chinese Education / Overseas Education College. The delegation held discussions with the leadership of the School of Modern Languages (SML) — the host faculty of the Confucius Institute at Newcastle University — as well as with the Institute’s Chinese and British Directors, focusing on the achievements and future development of the Institute.

The meeting was chaired by Professor Su Yuxiao, Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute. Attendees included Andrea Wilczynski, Head of the School of Modern Languages at Newcastle University; Dr. Andrew Law, British Director of the Confucius Institute; all the CI Chinese language teachers and volunteer teachers; and Ms. Andrea Freeman, Administrative Assistant. Two student representatives from the Confucius Institute — Mr. Bill Lowry and Mr. William Raley — were also specially invited to join the roundtable discussion.

The meeting opened with a welcome speech by Andrea Wilczynski, who warmly welcomed the delegation on behalf of SML. This was followed by remarks from Professor Zhang Rong, who fully affirmed the Confucius Institute's achievements in international Chinese language education and cultural exchange in recent years, and expressed high hopes for its continued high-quality development.

Dr. Andrew Law then delivered a report on the Confucius Institute’s work in 2024, followed by Professor Su Yuxiao, who presented an overview of the achievements made in the first half of 2025. Together, the two Directors offered a comprehensive account of the Institute’s progress in curriculum development, cultural activities, international cooperation, and scholarship programmes.

At the end of the meeting, the two student representatives shared their personal experiences with Chinese language learning. Mr. Bill Lowry, who is nearly seventy, has pursued Chinese studies for many years. He spoke movingly about how the Confucius Institute at Newcastle University has provided him with an excellent platform to deepen his understanding of the Chinese language and culture. Mr. William Raley, who previously studied at Shanghai Jiao Tong University through a Confucius Institute scholarship, shared that although learning Chinese is challenging, it is also deeply rewarding. He expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the support he has received from the Institute throughout his journey. Professor Zhang Rong and Professor Pan Chaoqing expressed great interest and support for his intention to apply for a scholarship to study at Xiamen University.

This visit further strengthened the collaborative ties between Xiamen University and the Confucius Institute at Newcastle University. Both sides expressed their commitment to continuing cooperation under the principles of joint consultation, joint construction, and shared benefits, working together to promote the Institute’s high-quality development.