Wu Lin, the Chinese director of the Confucius Institute in Durban, introduced the Zulu language research project
The Confucius Institute at Durban University of Technology in South Africa and the Zulu Language Student Research Program of the School of African Studies of Beijing University of Foreign Chinese was successfully held at Durban University of Technology.
Wu Lin, Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute at Durban University of Technology, Professor Sylvia Zulu, Head of the Department of Languages at Durban University of Technology, and four Zulu teachers attended the meeting and had in-depth exchanges with six Zulu students from the School of African Studies at Beijing University of International Chinese.
At the symposium, Dean Wu Lin introduced in detail the Zulu language research project cooperated by the two sides. He emphasized that the project is an important cooperation between the Confucius Institute at Durban University of Technology and the African Institute of Beijing University of Foreign Chinese and International Studies University (WAI) based on a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which aims to deepen the cooperation between the two universities in the field of Zulu language teaching and research, promote cultural exchanges between China and South Africa, and cultivate high-quality Zulu language talents.
In particular, he pointed out that the Confucius Institute in Durban is not only committed to helping South Africans understand China, but also actively promoting the spread of African languages and cultures in China, truly achieving the goal of two-way cultural exchanges between China and South Africa. Teachers of the four professional courses of Zulu Oral and Written Improvement, Zulu Literature and Critical Reading, Cultural Diversity and Intercultural Learning, and Interpreting introduced the specific content and arrangement of the program to the students from the aspects of curriculum setting, teaching methods, and cultural experience.
Tasnim Sidart, a teacher of intercultural learning, emphasized that these courses not only focus on improving language skills, but also help Chinese students gain a deeper understanding of South African society and culture through rich cultural experience activities, and promote cross-cultural understanding and communication.
Afterwards, six students spoke actively, sharing their passion for Zulu language learning and their strong interest in South Africa’s diverse culture. They all expressed their hope that through this exchange program, they would gain an in-depth understanding of South Africa’s social culture, improve their Zulu language skills, and lay a solid foundation for future academic research or career development.
The symposium not only stimulated the students’ interest in Zulu language learning and cross-cultural communication, but also further demonstrated the far-reaching significance of the cooperation between China and South Africa in the field of education and culture. The Confucius Institute at Durban University of Technology and the African Institute of Beijing University of Foreign Chinese will continue to strengthen cooperation to jointly cultivate more outstanding Zulu language talents, and inject new impetus into the promotion of cultural exchanges and friendly relations between China and South Africa. Through such cooperation, the two sides not only provide a window for South African students to understand the Chinese and Chinese languages and cultures, but also build a bridge for Chinese students to explore African languages and cultures, truly realize two-way interaction and sharing, and promote the vigorous development of people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
