2009 Press Releases
UCC students to represent Ireland in Chinese!
08.07.2009
Four Irish students from the Irish Institute of Chinese Studies in UCC will represent Ireland in a Chinese proficiency competition in Hunan Province in China, throughout July and August.
08.07.2009
Four Irish students from the Irish Institute of Chinese Studies in UCC will represent Ireland in a Chinese proficiency competition in Hunan Province in China, throughout July and August.
Known as the hanyuqiao, the second Chinese Bridge Preliminary Chinese Proficiency Competition, invites non-native Chinese Mandarin speakers to demonstrate their command of modern Chinese language and culture.
The Irish leg of the competition took place recently in UCC and was organised by the UCC Confucius Institute. Following an intense contest, Ken Browne, a UCC BA student in Chinese Studies, was selected to represent Ireland to compete in the semi-finals and finals. Three other UCC students, Emmet McNamara, Lilly Ahern and Stephen McIlroy of BA in Chinese Studies and BComm (International) with Chinese Studies, were also selected to participate in the event.
According to Professor Dong Huiqin, the First Secretary of Education of the Chinese Embassy in Ireland: “The students were well prepared. They have shown an excellent command of Mandarin and a deep understanding of Chinese culture and society."
Speaking about the competition, Professor Fan Hong, Director of the Irish Institute of Chinese Studies and UCC Confucius Institute, commented: “The progress of Chinese teaching and learning in Ireland is impressive. The level of the contest was much higher than last year. There is a shared and growing awareness of the need to put systems in place which will support teachers and learners and underpin developments for the future.”
The Irish Institute of Chinese Studies in UCC offers six degree programmes in Chinese studies and two degree programmes in Asian studies. Within the two undergraduate programme, students study for two years at UCC prior to spending a year at one of the university’s partner colleges in China and throughout Asia.
In both of the undergraduate programmes, students learn how to understand, speak, read and write Mandarin Chinese (Putonghua). Within all of the courses on offer students gain an insight into all aspects of Chinese business, culture and socio economic conditions of Chinas past and its current contemporary position.
Picture shows L-R: Mr Yang Zengxiang Co-Director of Confucius Institute, UCC with students Stephen McIlroy, Emmet McNamara, Lilly Ahern, Ken Browne and Professor Fan Hong, Director of The Irish Institute of Chinese Studies, UCC.
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The Irish leg of the competition took place recently in UCC and was organised by the UCC Confucius Institute. Following an intense contest, Ken Browne, a UCC BA student in Chinese Studies, was selected to represent Ireland to compete in the semi-finals and finals. Three other UCC students, Emmet McNamara, Lilly Ahern and Stephen McIlroy of BA in Chinese Studies and BComm (International) with Chinese Studies, were also selected to participate in the event.
According to Professor Dong Huiqin, the First Secretary of Education of the Chinese Embassy in Ireland: “The students were well prepared. They have shown an excellent command of Mandarin and a deep understanding of Chinese culture and society."
Speaking about the competition, Professor Fan Hong, Director of the Irish Institute of Chinese Studies and UCC Confucius Institute, commented: “The progress of Chinese teaching and learning in Ireland is impressive. The level of the contest was much higher than last year. There is a shared and growing awareness of the need to put systems in place which will support teachers and learners and underpin developments for the future.”
The Irish Institute of Chinese Studies in UCC offers six degree programmes in Chinese studies and two degree programmes in Asian studies. Within the two undergraduate programme, students study for two years at UCC prior to spending a year at one of the university’s partner colleges in China and throughout Asia.
In both of the undergraduate programmes, students learn how to understand, speak, read and write Mandarin Chinese (Putonghua). Within all of the courses on offer students gain an insight into all aspects of Chinese business, culture and socio economic conditions of Chinas past and its current contemporary position.
Picture shows L-R: Mr Yang Zengxiang Co-Director of Confucius Institute, UCC with students Stephen McIlroy, Emmet McNamara, Lilly Ahern, Ken Browne and Professor Fan Hong, Director of The Irish Institute of Chinese Studies, UCC.
1166MMcS