On Friday 28 June, the Mandarin team from the Modern Language Centre at King’s College London hosted the first International Symposium on Intercultural Communication and Chinese Language Teaching.

The conference served as a platform for educators, scholars and researchers to interact and network from each other’s research and expertise related to intercultural communication issues in language education.

The symposium brought together more than 60 attendees and welcomed guests from Hong Kong University, LSE, The University of Edinburgh, Manchester and Queen’s University Belfast.

Professor Constant Leung commenced the day with a welcome speech, followed by an introduction to the collaborative project led by Dr Hongfen Zhou and Dr Lena Chan called Interculturality in Chinese language teaching. Leading experts in language education then addressed participants through keynote speeches by Dr Lianyi Song (SOAS University of London), Dr Jing Fang (Oxford University) and Dr Wendy Che (Oxford University). 

Breakout discussions focused on some of the most pressing issues in Chinese language education such as intercultural awareness, teaching and learning culture, Cantonese curriculum, critical thinking, and exploring cultural differences.

Cypress Books also donated several Chinese themed books to the MLC, and a mini ceremony was held in their honour which saw MLC deputy directors Catherine Brossard and Nelly Mars presented with the books by Mr Xiaocheng Xie, the CEO of Cypress books.

 

Mr Xiaocheng Xie presenting books to MLC Deputy Directors, Catherine Brossard and Nelly Mars 

The feedback from sponsors, guests and speakers from the post-survey was extremely positive, and attendees highly praised the Mandarin team on the success of the event.