According to the School of International Education, on June 6th, the “South-South Cooperation Chinese Language and Culture Training Program for Developing Countries”, sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce of China (MOFCOM) and organized by NCU, commenced at the university. This program has attracted 21 participants from seven countries: Uganda, Iraq, Myanmar, South Africa, Kenya, Gabon, and South Sudan. The participants represent government departments such as the Ministries of Education, Foreign Affairs, and Finance of their respective invited countries, as well as universities and research institutions including the University of Nairobi. Chen Shifa, Vice President of NCU, and Zhang Qianfan, Deputy Director of the Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Division of the Jiangxi Provincial Department of Commerce, attended the opening ceremony and delivered addresses. Ms. Carol Wanjiku Hunya, Deputy Secretary at the Directorate of Higher Education and Research within the Kenyan Ministry of Education, spoke on behalf of the participants.
This three-week program adopted an integrated model combining “thematic lectures, cultural experiences, field visits, and interactive exchanges”, deeply leveraging the university’s high-quality teaching resources and local developmental characteristics. The curriculum proactively incorporated elements such as Jiangxi’s “Three-Colored Culture” (red, green, and ancient), “Green Development”, and “Rural Vitalization” into the program plan. With core modules focusing on “Chinese language proficiency enhancement, in-depth experience of Chinese culture, and analysis of China’s development model”, the program constructed an immersive learning system. In terms of itinerary planning, participants not only visited representative cultural and economic sites within Jiangxi but also traveled to cities like Beijing and Changsha for field studies, gaining a comprehensive understanding of regional development across China. Furthermore, the program organized exchange forums and discussions between the participants and the faculty and students of NCU. This initiative aims to adopt Chinese educational philosophy of “integrating knowledge with action”, assisting participants in perceiving and understanding China from multiple angles through theoretical learning and practical experience, thereby strengthening the bonds of South-South cooperation and fostering closer ties among developing countries.
As an implementing institution for the MOFCOM’s foreign aid training programs, and with the strong support and assistance of MOFCOM and the Jiangxi Provincial Department of Commerce, NCU has successfully organized 23 sessions of such programs since 2005, training over 600 participants from more than 50 countries. With language as a bond and culture as a bridge, this program not only provides a platform for cultural exchange and mutual learning among developing nations but also demonstrates China’s role as a responsible major country. Moving forward, NCU will continue to leverage its disciplinary strengths and platform role to contribute more “NCU Wisdom” to the continuous advancement of South-South cooperation and the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.
