The Huaqiao College of the Open University of China (OUC) recently held the “Internet Plus” Seminar on Overseas Chinese Education and Chinese Inheritance.
Liu Yiqin, vice chairwoman of All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese and chairwoman of Sichuan Provincial Returned Overseas Chinese Federation; Fan Xianrui, vice president of the OUC and director of Chinese Language Centre; and Zhou Jiping, secretary of the Party Committee of Chengdu Open University and president of the OUC Huaqiao College, attended the seminar. Well-known experts and scholars of Chinese language education from several Chinese universities attended the seminar and delivered speeches. Fourteen people made online speeches, including principals of Chinese schools and people responsible for Chinese language teaching and Internet education departments in the US, France, Thailand, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Australia, Costa Rica, and South Africa. More than 500 people engaged in overseas Chinese education from around 70 countries and regions attended the seminar. The experts, scholars, principals, teachers, and representatives of parents present at the seminar made extensive exchanges on issues related to overseas Chinese education and Chinese inheritance based on “Internet Plus” in the post-pandemic era. The seminar was supported by the International Society for Chinese Language Teaching (ISCLT). Diao Yuanyuan, executive vice president of the OUC Huaqiao College, presided over the opening ceremony.
In her speech, Liu Yiqin extended warm congratulations on the successful assembly of the seminar. She pointed out that it is the right time for further discussion of how to promote the high-quality development of overseas Chinese education by strengthening confidence and respecting laws against the historical background of the COVID-19 pandemic and “Internet Plus” empowerment. She encouraged the Huaqiao College to create a good external environment for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation as a friendly envoy, to be a new force advancing the opening-up of China’s education to a higher level, and to make changes and seek opportunities among the momentous changes as a pioneer.
Fan Xianrui indicated that language plays a fundamental role in promoting mutual learning among civilisations, enhancing people-to-people bonds among all countries, and in assisting the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind. She fully affirmed what Chengdu Open University has done as the Secretariat of the Council to drive the rapid development of the college. It has successively established branches in Ningbo and Xi’an branches, as well as several overseas teaching centres in Khorat, Manila, Barcelona, Livorno, and Singapore. Fruitful results have been achieved. She hoped that the seminar would serve as an opportunity for Huaqiao College to empower overseas Chinese education with digitalisation, to enhance international cooperation and exchanges, and to expand the staff’s cognitive horizons and thinking patterns. In this way, the reach and appeal of Chinese language and culture will be further extended to advance the high-quality international development of open universities.
Zhou Jiping said that the OUC Huaqiao College will make greater efforts to explore new ideas and new modes for “Internet Plus” overseas Chinese education and Chinese inheritance. By leveraging its advantages and gathering strength, the college will tell better stories of China and disseminate Chinese culture.
Professor Zeng Yiping of Jinan University delivered a keynote speech entitled “Modern and Contemporary Overseas Chinese Education: Waves and Transformational Upgrading”, and Professor Song Jihua of Beijing Normal University delivered a keynote speech entitled “Cognitive Logic of Overseas Chinese Education from the Perspective of Digital Transformation”.
Diao Yuanyuan, executive vice president of the OUC Huaqiao College, presided over the opening ceremony
At the seminar, three forums were set up on three themes: “The Current Situation of Overseas Chinese Education and Chinese Inheritance”, “Innovation and Development of the ‘Internet Plus’ Overseas Chinese Education and Teaching Mode”, and “Innovation and Application of the ‘Internet Plus’ Overseas Chinese Education and Teaching Platform and Resources”.
All those attending seminar said that it helped them to have a better understanding of overseas Chinese education and Chinese inheritance in the new era. They acquired richer and more specific measures to promote the high-quality development of the Huaqiao College, reaching a greater theoretical and practical consensus for empowering overseas Chinese education and the construction of the Huaqiao College with digitalisation. Chengdu Open University will take this seminar as a starting point to further strengthen the academic ties between Huaqiao College and experts, scholars, Chinese language schools, and Chinese educational institutions at home and abroad, taking the initiative to shoulder the lofty mission of presenting Chinese culture to the world and promoting mutual learning between Chinese civilisation and other civilisations in educational exchanges and cooperation between China and other countries.
By OUC