The Confucius Institute at the University of Liberia has launched a Bachelor of Arts Degree (BA) in Chinese language and culture. The program is implemented by the Department of Chinese Language and Culture through the Confucius Institute at the University of Liberia.
The bachelor of arts degree in Chinese language and culture is arranged in 3+1 years. During the first three years, lectures will be undertaken at the University of Liberia, and lectures during the fourth year of study will be conducted in China, if students meet the requirements, such as passing HSKK Intermediate and HSK with score of 270.
By the end of the fourth year, students will return to Liberia for graduation. Upon graduation, they would be opportune to obtain a scholarship to do a master’s degree in China.
The official launch of the program was held at the Boulevard Palace in Sinkor, Tuesday, September 26, 2023 and graced by officials of the University of Liberia, Chinese Embassy in Liberia, and the Confucius institute.
The program also offers other academic programs, including a minor in Chinese language and culture and a diploma as elective.
The Confucius Institute at the University of Liberia (CIUL), the first Confucius institute in West Africa, was jointly established by the University of Liberia and Changsha University of Science and Technology, China, in Liberia in 2008.
CIUL provides teaching in Chinese language courses for free along with Chinese tests, with the aim of promoting cultural exchange and friendship between Liberia and China.
The decision by the authorities of the University of Liberia was petitioned by Dr. Josephus M. Gray, Dean of Amos Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities, who formally petitioned the faculty senate of the university for a bachelor of arts degree program in Chinese language and culture.
According to the communication delivered on Friday, August 18, 2023, the university revealed that on August 15 and 17, 2023 the university held two meetings, the Academic Coordination Committee (ACC) meeting and the Faculty Senate meeting, in which Amos Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities and Confucius Institute at UL participated and petitioned the University of Liberia to offer a bachelor of arts degree in Chinese language and culture.
After tense debate with the faculty senate, the decision was finally reached to offer the bachelor of arts degree (BA) in Chinese language and culture. The overall goal of the undergraduate program is to establish teaching and understanding of the Chinese language and promote cultural exchange that will contribute significantly to Liberia’s educational system and solve language barrier issues.
Additionally, the program aims at educating Chinese language and culture at the University of Liberia to make the university an academic environment, where students can obtain a career education in Chinese language and culture that will expose them to challenges and opportunities and further global peace and understanding in the world through educational, economic and cultural exchanges.
The program will teach all other aspects of the Chinese experience which are viewed as appropriate and beneficial to Liberia.
Remarking at the program via a pre-recorded video, the Secretary General of the Chinese International Education Foundation, Prof. Zhao Ling-Shan, extolled the University of Liberia for accepting the program.
According to him, the offering of Chinese language and culture as a full bachelor’s degree will help Liberian students with opportunity and experience.
Also making remarks, the University of Liberia Vice President for Administration, Benetta Joko Tarr, pledged the administration’s fullest commitment and support to the Confucius Institute through its bachelor’s degree program.
“Let me say this: When this recommendation was brought to meeting and we asked, nobody objected to this program, and so that means it’s worth celebrating. With this, I would like to say that you have our fullest commitment and support towards this program. We will be there to help and assist whenever you need us,” she noted.
At the same time, the Charge d’Affairs at the Chinese Embassy in Liberia, Fan Erwei, thanked the Government of Liberia (GOL) through the university for granting the program. “The People’s Republic of China remains committed to supporting the Government of Liberia (GOL),” he stated.