Between November 2023 and early January 2024, the School of Literature, Journalism and Communication, SCMU, took a significant step in international educational exchange by sending two faculty members and six International Chinese Education majors to the International Kazakh-Chinese Language Institute in Almaty, Kazakhstan. This initiative aimed to enrich Chinese language skills and cultural understanding among local educators and students.

In the span of two months, this eight-person delegation meticulously crafted and delivered customized teaching programs that catered to the unique needs and levels of Chinese proficiency at the Institute. Gulmira, the Director of the Chinese Language Teaching and Research Department, observed notable advancements in her students’ abilities to speak, listen, and express themselves in Chinese, attributing these improvements to the dedicated efforts of the SCMU team. Beyond the realm of language, the delegation also introduced an array of cultural and artistic subjects, including Chinese poetry, calligraphy, paper-cutting, music, and dance, thereby offering a comprehensive experience of Chinese culture and significantly expanding the local academic community’s horizons. Highlighting their engagement, Zhou Bin, a faculty leader, and Wang Jiayuan, a graduate student, contributed their expertise as judges at the Almaty City Chinese Language Skills Competition, an event organized by the Institute.

Awarding of Judges’ Certificate

Photo Provided by the School of Literature, Journalism and Communication

Mr. Talgat, the Institute’s President, lauded the SCMU team’s teaching accomplishments, emphasizing the deep, meaningful connections forged between the Chinese and Kazakhstani participants. He expressed a hopeful vision for the continuation and deepening of such internships, underscoring the potential for fostering closer ties and more frequent cultural exchanges between China and Kazakhstan.

Letter of Thanks. Photo Provided by the School of Literature, Journalism and Communication

Since 2019, the International Kazakh-Chinese Language Institute, endorsed by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Education for its focus on developing Chinese language talents, has served as the School of Literature, Journalism and Communication’s inaugural overseas internship site—the first among institutions overseen by the National Ethnic Affairs Commission. Over the past four years, the school’s commitment to dispatching faculty and students for teaching and internship roles has yielded impressive outcomes, marking a successful model of international collaboration and educational exchange.

Edited by Lei Changsheng；Reviewed by Gui Sunlai