Arts/Photography Exhibition Launch and Exhibition Success
This year’s exhibition for our School Arts Competition and China-UK Perspectives photography competition was an astonishing success, with over 200 attendees filling the Basement space of the University Diamond building. There were students and representatives from 28 primary schools around the South Yorkshire area, with attendees arriving from as far as York and Derbyshire.
The School Arts Competition was joined by our successful China-UK Perspectives photography competition with a total of 44 submissions this year from China and the UK. This is the first time our exhibition has functioned as a single event, breaking from its tradition of accompanying the annual Chinese New Year Celebrations in Sheffield City Hall.
Chinese Heritage Concert Success
The annual Chinese Heritage Concert didn’t disappoint with another evening full of Chinese traditional music and dance performances, drawing a crowd of over 200 attendees on the evening of Wednesday, 17 April. Thanks to the engaging cultural activities led by our dedicated teachers, the moving speech by SCI Director Andy Barker, and the wonderful performances, the event received rave reviews.
Special thanks to Sheffield Concerts, Wanlin Academy of Dance, the Department of Music at the University, and the student organising team for their invaluable contributions. We're all looking forward to the next event!
Mandarin Chinese Summer School for Adults 2024 - Early Bird Deal
Starting from 10 June and ending 18 July, our Mandarin Chinese Summer School for Adults has undergone an exciting makeover this year, with a host of new courses designed to enlighten, challenge and inspire our students. If students sign up before 10 May then they will receive a 20% discount for each course purchase. This year’s courses are as follows:
Business Chinese - explore Chinese business language and etiquette.
Tourism Chinese - providing vital language and insights for travellers to China.
Sheffield Chinese - linking language study to Chinese culture in the city of Sheffield.
Calligraphy - taught by our experienced teachers.
Find out more about our courses and sign up.
Mandarin Summer School for Children 2024
Starting from 24 July and ending 30 July, our engaging Mandarin Summer School is designed for 5 to 16-year-olds and no prior Mandarin Chinese knowledge is required. The programme blends interactive learning with fun activities to foster language skills and cultural appreciation, with a focus on Mandarin Chinese, Fun Maths and Science.
Find out more about our courses and sign up.
International Chinese Language Day Celebrations
International Chinese Language Day takes place on the 20th of April each year and it was established by the U.N. to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity as well as to promote the use of Chinese. The SCI engaged in a number of engaging activities to celebrate the event:
18 April - Sino-English Club
Chinese and English language enthusiasts gathered in Bar One at the University Students’ Union to celebrate one of our most well-attended gatherings to date. The theme of the gathering was International Chinese Language Day and attendees engaged in activities and discussions inspired by the theme.
19 April - Chinese Cultural Stall at Prestige Student Living
SCI staff were invited to Prestige Student Living accommodation in Sheffield City Centre to deliver our signature cultural stalls. Tenants and Prestige staff alike engaged with our calligraphy stalls inspired by the theme of International Chinese Language Day and its focus on celebrating Chinese characters and writing styles.
20 April - Celebrating International Chinese Language Day at the Star Mandarin School
Students at our Star Mandarin School enjoyed activities in celebration of International Chinese Language Day, as part of special adapted lessons inspired by the theme.
HSK/YCT Examinations Update
The HSK exams, internationally recognized benchmarks for Chinese language proficiency, were held on 16 March in the University Diamond Building. This year, we facilitated 44 applicants to participate in the exams.
The YCT, Youth Chinese Tests, recognized as the leading assessment for young learners of Mandarin, are scheduled for May 12th. This year's sessions will accommodate both members of the public and students from Birkdale School at the Diamond Building, as well as students from St Anselm's at St Anselm's School.
International Chinese Language and Teachers' Scholarship:
This scholarship offers a unique opportunity for students registered through SCI to engage in a four-week study program at Beijing Language & Culture University, focusing on the Chinese language, complemented by a homestay experience. This year, we've received 15 registrations from a diverse group of students, including 5 students from our own Star Mandarin School, the University of Sheffield, Birkdale School and others from across Sheffield, Birmingham, and Nottingham. The program is scheduled to run between July and August.
Find out more about our scholarship programmes
The May Fayre is coming to Weston Park!
The annual May Fayre will take place on 19 May in Weston Park and the SCI will be at the forefront with our Chinese cultural stalls and activities. The May Fayre is jointly organised by the Sheffield City Council and the University of Sheffield and attracts up to 10,000 visitors each year. Attendees can enjoy a large variety of food and activity stalls with other attractions available throughout the day.
Find out more about the May Fayre
Welcome to Dr Taochen Zhou
The Sheffield Confucius Institute is delighted to welcome our new Chinese Learning and Teaching Officer, Dr Taochen Zhou. Before joining the Sheffield Confucius Institute, Dr Zhou taught Mandarin Chinese and Linguistics at the University of East Anglia after finishing her PHD, engaging in varied initiatives with teaching and pedagogical research and implementation. This is a brand new role and we couldn't be more delighted to welcome Dr Zhou to thrive in it; she’s already got stuck in, providing valuable help with a variety of SCI projects. Taochen is now part of the SCI family and we wish her a successful year full of growth and friendship.
Thank you for reading!
Take a look at the links below to read more about the SCI's recent activities and events!