A group photo marking the 30th anniversary of XMU's Overseas Education College. [Photo/en.xmu.edu.cn]
For 70 years, Xiamen University (XMU) has taught Chinese internationally, connecting language education with cultural exchange and training more than 70,000 specialists from over 100 countries and regions.
What began in 1956 with the establishment of the Overseas Education College has grown into a network spanning five continents. Since 2004, the university has sent more than 800 international Chinese language education volunteers to more than 20 countries. It now works with partners in 12 countries to operate 14 Confucius Institutes and one Chinese language and culture research center, with more than 400,000 registered learners.
Over the decades, the university has broadened its approach to Chinese language education. Its offerings now integrate Chinese language with traditional Chinese medicine, business, education, and vocational training. Additionally, it has established joint training programs in Africa and launched specialized initiatives in Malaysia and Nigeria.
For some students, the journey began with a volunteer by their side. In South Africa, XMU volunteer Qian Qian helped a student prepare for the Chinese Bridge competition, helping him improve his pronunciation and speech. After he won the primary school category, more families in the community became interested in learning Chinese.
Today, international students are also becoming storytellers. Ukrainian student Chen Wukong, who once relied on translation software and gestures, now speaks fluent Chinese and shares his experiences of China on social media. He chose to remain at XMU for a master's degree.
