KNUST Confucius Institute to collaborate with Department on Chinese Language major
Story: Zakariah Issah
The Confucius Institute of KNUST is set to collaborate with the Department of Language and Communication Sciences to introduce a Bachelor’s degree major in Chinese Language and Culture.
Prof. Su-Zibo, a representative from the Confucius Chinese Institute of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology affirmed the commitment of the Institute in this pursuit when he paid a courtesy call on Head of Department of Language and Communication Sciences recently.
Currently, Chinese Language and Culture is offered as a Minor Programme at the Department.
The visit was aimed at discussing plans the Institute is putting in place to promote teaching and learning of the Chinese language and to strengthen bilateral cooperations between the institute and department.
Professor Su-Zibo said the collaboration would include infrastructural development to facilitate a smooth running of the programme as well as a study abroad programme to China for students of Chinese Language and Culture.
“The Institute is looking at establishing offices and a laboratory which students and staff of the Chinese major programme can benefit from and a number of students from the program shall be granted scholarship opportunities to embark on a study abroad programme in China”, he said.
The Head of Department of Language and Communication Sciences, Dr. (Mrs) Victoria Faleke Ogunnike welcomed the initiative from the institute and underscored its relevance.
“As a department we are happy to be partners in this great initiative. We have already rolled out a Chinese Language and Culture minor programme and the Chinese language is part of our language proficiency short courses programme so this new development will advance what we are already doing as a department and will provide capacity development opportunity for staff and students within the department”, she said.
Meanwhile, the Department’s language proficiency programme dubbed “Language for All” targeted at staff, students, expat community and the general public has commenced at the Department. Languages currently being offered under the programme are Akan (Twi), French, Chinese and Spanish.
Schedule for classes is flexible, and students are awarded proficiency certificates at the end of their courses.