From November 3 to 10, 2022, the “Global Classroom” of College of Foreign Languages of Nankai University was held online. This “Global Classroom” is a new attempt to create an interactive platform for students of foreign universities and students of foreign languages to communicate with each other during the special period of the epidemic. A total of 45 students and teachers from 11 universities in 9 countries, including the UK, USA, Russia, Japan and Italy, signed up for the event. Professor Yan Guodong, Dean of the College of Foreign Languages, Associate Professor Wang Kai, Vice Dean of the College of International Education, Party Secretary Shao Qinghui and Vice Dean Ou Yingxi attended and delivered speeches at the opening and closing ceremonies of the event respectively.
At the opening ceremony, Dean Professor Yan Guodong delivered a speech on behalf of the College and extended a warm welcome to all the students and teachers who attended the event. He then introduced that the international exchange channels of the College of Foreign Languages have been expanding in recent years, and the number of teachers and students participating in international exchange is increasing year by year, and the College has been actively creating a platform for international academic exchange for teachers and students. Dean Prof Yan pointed out that we have stopped the offline communication due to the epidemic, but with the help of Internet, the College has actively changed the activity mode. The cloud connection allows the international communication of the College of Foreign Languages of Nankai University to continue to move forward.
Associate Professor Wang Kai, Vice President of the College, said in his speech that he hoped the students could get to know Tianjin and Nankai University through this event, and enhance their understanding, gain friendship and grow together through mutual learning and appreciation with Nankai University students. He also hoped to stimulate the interest of the participating students and teachers in Chinese traditional culture.
The theme of the first “Global Classroom” of the College of Foreign Languages was “Getting to know Nankai University and exploring Chinese traditional culture”. During the four-day event, students and faculty from foreign universities were first introduced to the campus of Nankai University and the students’ study and daily life. With the statue of Zhou Enlai, the school bell, Siyuan Hall, the library and other landmarks on Nankai University’s Bailitai campus as the main lines, the event presented the campus of Nankai University and the College of Foreign Languages through the lens of historical background, special architecture and educational philosophy. Combined with the rich and colorful daily life of the campus such as classrooms, student activities and recreation, it leads the online audience to experience the daily life of Nankai University students in an immersive way.
The online students and teachers then browsed the scenery of Tianjin, the city where Nankai University is located, and the food and snacks with Tianjin characteristics. From Tianjin Five Avenues, the ancient cultural street to Tianjin Port; from pancake rolled with crisp fritter, gruel of millet flour and sugar, marrons glaces chestnut roasted with sugar and sugar-coated haws on a stick; through the camera and vivid explanation, the online students and teachers can appreciate the cultural heritage of Tianjin and the modern international metropolis construction and development from many angles, such as humanistic landscape, historical architecture, urban construction, local customs and marketplace culture.
In addition, the College invited Professor Hu Cui'e from the Department of Translation, Associate Professor Sun Xuemei from the Department of Japanese, Associate Professor Wang Xiufang and graduate students from the College of Chinese Language and Culture to give lectures on traditional Chinese culture and introductory Chinese language courses to the online students and teachers. Several teachers focused on Confucianism and Taoist thought, national costumes and enlightening readings, the evolution of Chinese characters and the differences between Chinese and foreign languages and cultures, respectively. Through four informative and professionally explained courses, the teachers led the online students and teachers to initially learn and explore the footprints of the development of Chinese civilization over the past 5,000 years.
Finally, the College arranged special sections on Chinese painting and calligraphy, paper-cutting techniques and Chinese medicine and health care, allowing students to gain deeper exposure to these cultural treasures with Chinese characteristics through understanding and practice. During this event, undergraduate, master and doctoral students from the College of Foreign Languages acted as hosts in English, Russian, Japanese, French, Spanish and Italian, accompanying the foreign students and teachers who attended the event online.
At the closing ceremony, Mr. Shao Qinghui, Secretary of the Party Committee of the School of International Education, delivered a speech and announced the success of the “Global Classroom” of the College of Foreign Languages in 2022. He pointed out that the success of this event has two important meanings: openness and confidence. Secretary Shao said, “Because of openness, we strengthen communication, and we must know each other better and better. Because of openness, we have benefited from globalization and achieved development. Because of openness, we have created prosperity and entered a new era. In the face of this global new crown epidemic, we are confident that we will eventually overcome the difficulties.”
Vice President of the School of International Education, Ou Yingxi, then said, “Many thanks to the students who participated in this event, you are all young people who have the confidence and the ability to open your hearts to the uncertainty of the future. I believe that the world will become better and better because of your hard work. I send my best wishes to all the students, and I also hope that the epidemic will end soon and that the students can come to China, to Tianjin, to Nankai University, to have real contact with the daily life we have shown, to experience deeply the traditional Chinese culture, and to see the real China, the modern China.”
The College of Foreign Languages of Nankai University will also continue its “Global Classroom” activities. In the future, we will invite students and teachers from different countries and universities around the world to share their knowledge of local cultures, cities and schools.
