Forum on Chinese Language Education and Cross-Cultural Communication in Australia 2021
December 11, 2021
About the forum
Date: Wednesday, 15 December 2021
Time: 12:00pm-3:30pm AEDT (9:00am-12:30pm Beijing time)
Took Place Online: Via Zoom
16 December 2021 – GBCA was proud to host an online Forum on Chinese language education and cross-cultural communication in Australia on Wednesday 15th December.
As one of our largest and most ambitious virtual events of the year, we were pleased to host 34 expert speakers with diverse backgrounds to present over 5 distinct sessions to 150 attendees from around Australia, China and further abroad.
We were honoured to have Professor Jennelle Kyd, Mr Stefan Romaniw OAM, Ms Kristien Sarwo-Rini, Ms Virginia Birrelle and Mr Derek Scott, to address the welcoming and opening remarks.
Our keynote speakers Dr Wei Jing, Mr Jixing Xu, Dr Yangbin Chen, Mr Hamish Curry and Dr Xiaoqiu Xu, have brought up topics ranging from the development and collaboration of international Chinese language education to the status and challenges of teaching and learning in primary and secondary schools, as well as in Australian higher education. The speakers also shared their unique experiences and insights on intercultural learning approaches and resources, as well as on the applications of online teaching platforms. The discussions on these topics continued in 4 parallel sessions moderated by Mr Jixing Xu, Mr Stanley Wang, Dr Yangbin Chen and Dr Dan Hu.
Language and culture-integrated learning, intercultural competence, and international collaboration and partnership were frequently mentioned in the forum and are commonly believed to be the keywords for the way ahead.
It was a fantastic afternoon of presentations and discussions. We were pleased to host eminent Chinese language education community leaders, professionals and policymakers who are committed to the international Chinese language and culture education in Australia, and we thank them for sharing their insights, critical thinking, optimism, and words of advice with our attendees.
At the end, Dr Celina Yu, the Managing Director of GBCA addressed closing remarks. GBCA, as the host and organizer of the forum, will continue to support Chinese language and culture learning in Australia and contribute to cultural diversity and community development.
Some key takeaways from the Forum
- In recent years the demand for Chinese language learning has been growing across the world. There are over 180 countries across the world that have established Chinese language education programs, and 76 countries have officially incorporated the Chinese language into their national education systems.
- According to preliminary statistics, there are currently 25 million people across the globe studying the Chinese languages as a second language and over 200 million people outside of China have already learned Chinese.
- In Australia, there are 400 primary and secondary schools offering Chinese as a subject, accounting for 4.2% of total schools. Additionally, 43 universities across Australia provide Chinese language courses.
- The local teaching and learning resources are highly required to meet the growing demand.
- It is advocated that an organization on Chinese language education in Australia would help to lead and support developments in teacher training, exam systems, and research and innovation of teaching methods and resources in the long-term.
- The global pandemic has posed challenges to education but has also accelerated the evolution of digital technologies and online platforms which have been effectively used to enhance remote learning and create immersive experiences.
- Chinese culture is a keyword for the way ahead. The Chinese culture, not economic benefits, is the key driver and incentive for a Chinese language learner. The Chinese cultures include traditional culture, tech culture and pop culture.
- Languages can be learnt online, but cultures cannot. Trips to China are an indispensable part of cultural learning because they provide an immersive experience. Digital technologies have been effectively used to enhance remote learning and create immersive experiences.
Speakers
To Learn more, visit the following link: https://bitly.com/3rvAFCu
As the most successful multicultural society in the world, Australia has been committed to the learning and development of various community languages in response to its policies on multiculturality.
Mandarin has now been the most spoken language in Australia apart from English. As we venture into a post-pandemic world, Global Business College of Australia (GBCA) is proud to present a high-level online Forum on Chinese Language Education and Cross-cultural communication in Australia 2021 to:
- Address the challenges and current status.
- Discuss how the international Chinese language education can contribute to cultural diversity in Australia in a post-Pandemic world.
- Explore the collaborations and innovations in Chinese language education.
- Discuss how international Chinese language education can contribute to cultural diversity in Australia in a post-Pandemic world.
Who should attend
The forum is designed for organizations and individuals who are interested in the latest developments in international Chinese language education, including
- Chinese language educators
- Chinese language students and those interested in learning Chinese
- Multicultural scholars and practitioners
- National, State and local policy makers
- Executives and professionals in education sector and more
The forum languages are Mandarin Chinese and English. Simultaneous interpretation will be provided for the welcome speech, the opening remarks and the keynote speech.
