UoN Confucius Institute Attend the 2024 World Chinese Language Conference in Beijing
The 2024 World Chinese Language Conference, hosted by the Ministry of Education of China, took place in Beijing from November 15 to 19, 2024. With the theme "Interconnection, Integration, Inheritance, Innovation," the conference gathered over 2,000 participants from more than 160 countries, including government officials, educators, scholars, and students.
Kenya’s delegation was led by Dr. Beatrice Muganda Inyangala, Principal Secretary of the State Department for Higher Education and Research, Ministry of Education. Accompanying her were Prof. Francis Mulaa, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Enterprise at the University of Nairobi; Prof. Wang Shangxue, Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi; and Dr. Gatama Gichini, Deputy Director of Research, Ministry of Education.
A significant highlight of the conference was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on November 16 between Dr. Inyangala and China’s Vice Minister of Education, Dr. Wu Yan. The MoU formalizes a partnership to advance Chinese language education in Kenya. This initiative, which began in 2023, aims to integrate Chinese language instruction into Kenya’s national education system, enhancing educational collaboration between the two countries.
The University of Nairobi and its Confucius Institute played a vital role in facilitating the agreement. Their coordinated efforts included conducting research and organizing reciprocal visits by education officials to ensure alignment with Kenya's educational needs.
During the conference, Kenya’s leadership in the field of education was prominently showcased. On November 16, Prof. Mulaa co-chaired a session titled “Social Support and Partner Collaboration: Building a Win-Win Ecosystem for Confucius Institutes,” alongside Prof. Zhong Yinghua, President of the International Society for Chinese Language Teaching. Prof. Wang Shangxue also presented at the session, highlighting the work of the Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi in supporting social development.
On November 17, Prof. Mulaa delivered a keynote speech at a session themed “New Model of International Chinese Language Education in the Context of Digital and Intelligent Transformation.” His address, “The Application and Practice of Digital Intelligence in Chinese Language Teaching at the University of Nairobi and the Confucius Institute,” demonstrated how digital technologies are transforming language teaching in Kenya.
The conference provided further opportunities for the Kenyan delegation to engage with Chinese educational institutions. On November 18, Prof. Mulaa, Prof. Wang Shangxue, and Dr. Gichini visited the Center for Language Education and Cooperation at China’s Ministry of Education. They held productive discussions with Deputy Director-General Mr. Hu Zhiping and senior officials to explore the implementation of the MoU.
The delegation also visited Tianjin Normal University, a key partner of the Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi, on November 19. There, they met with Prof. Zhong Yinghua and Prof. Bai Xuejun, Vice President of Tianjin Normal University, to discuss the future development of the Confucius Institute and the execution of the Kenya-China MoU.
The 2024 World Chinese Language Conference marked a major step in deepening the educational and cultural ties between Kenya and China. The MoU and the productive discussions held during the conference will pave the way for enhanced educational collaboration, fostering greater understanding and cooperation in the field of language education between the two countries.
