2013 Press Releases
UCC boosts Asian Studies
Professor Brian Bocking has been appointed Head of UCC’s School of Asian Studies on the departure of the School’s founding professor, Fan Hong, to Australia.
Professor Bocking came to UCC from London University’s prestigious School of Oriental and African Studies. With the possibility of the Chinese language joining Japanese in Irish second-level education, Ireland’s coming generation will be better prepared to work with Asian partners in Ireland and Asia. Taking cognizance of the developments nationally, UCC has appointed Professor Jackie Sheehan to the School of Asian Studies. Professor Sheehan takes up her position in September and has joined UCC from Nottingham University’s renowned Chinese Studies Department.
Professor Bocking commented: “UCC has grown its Asian Studies capacity since 2006 and now has a world- wide reputation in the field. We are in an excellent position to expand and diversify our teaching and research programmes with a focus on contemporary culture, society, language and business.”
The School has particular strengths in Chinese Studies including Chinese language teaching provided within UCC and in Irish schools by native speakers through the ‘Confucius Institute’. The School of Asian Studies promotes the study of Asia, from the Middle East to South and Southeast Asia, China, Korea and Japan. A new subject ‘Asian Studies’ starts this year in the undergraduate BA programme with 50 students expected.
The school has provided training and orientation for senior managers doing business in China, working closely with IBEC and other interested bodies.
Two new free, one-year part-time postgraduate ‘Springboard’ programmes at UCC in Chinese and East Asian culture, language and business designed to get unemployed Irish graduates back into careers involving Asia are currently recruiting for September see http://bit.ly/15baC3K for the Higher Diploma http://bit.ly/1co7VgQ for the Certificate.
The School of Asian Studies is part of UCC’s largest College, the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences (CACSSS).