On the afternoon of March 25, the School of Sociology and Humanities of JUFE held a graduate student overseas internship experience sharing session themed “Using Chinese as a Bridge to the World” at the Mailuyuan Campus. The event aimed to deepen students’ understanding of the International Chinese Language Education Volunteer Program, provide a platform for experience exchange, and enhance their professional practical abilities. Faculty representatives, MTCSOL students (Master of Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages), and some undergraduate students attended the session.
The session invited three graduate students as speakers: Teng Siyu and Tao Jingting from the Class of 2024, and Zhao Yuchen from the Class of 2025. They had undertaken overseas Chinese language teaching internships in the United Kingdom and Thailand, gaining extensive practical experience. Associate Professor Lai Xiaojun, Director of the MTCSOL Program , Dr. Yu Yibing, Deputy Director of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, and Dr. Duan Xuelu, the masters’ supervisor, were present at the event.
During the session, the speakers systematically introduced key aspects of the volunteer programs, including recruitment procedures, teaching arrangements, and the organization of cultural activities, focusing on both the CLEC General Volunteer Program and the Confucius Institute Volunteer Program. Their presentations offered a comprehensive overview of overseas Chinese language teaching and daily life.
Drawing on his experience as a CLEC General Volunteer in Thailand, Zhao Yuchen provided a detailed account of the entire process, from application and selection to placement and return. He vividly described his teaching work and personal growth, helping fellow students better understand how overseas volunteer teaching operates in practice.
Teng Siyu and Tao Jingting focused on the Confucius Institute Volunteer Program at Coventry University in the United Kingdom. They outlined key stages including application, pre-departure training, placement, and return, and provided a detailed explanation of selection requirements and living conditions and related policies for Category I regions in the UK. Based on their teaching experience, they introduced daily teaching activities, cultural event planning, and administrative coordination. They also shared valuable experiences of attending academic conferences in London and participating in Chinese language teaching skills competitions, demonstrating the active role played by JUFE’s MTCSOL students in promoting Chinese culture as Confucius Institute volunteers.
In the concluding session, Associate Professor Lai Xiaojun spoke highly of the event. She noted that overseas internships reflect the educational philosophy of “learning through practice, applying knowledge, integrating Chinese and foreign perspectives, and promoting teaching through competitions and certifications,” and affirmed the crucial role of practical teaching in professional development. She further outlined an integrated development path of “coursework–teaching practice–academic research.” Yu Yibing added that experience sharing is an important part of program development, and that the event provided an effective bridge for students to clarify their practical direction and plan their career paths.
The session provided students with detailed information about volunteer programs and, through real-life cases, stimulated their professional identity and enthusiasm for practice, facilitating the effective transmission of experience. In the future, the School of Sociology and Humanities will continue to strengthen the practical teaching system for MTCSOL education, support more students in engaging in this field, and contribute to cultural exchange between China and the rest of the world through the Chinese language.
（Text and Photos by Shi Jiaqi, and Yang Gang, School of Social Sciences and Humanities; Reviewed by Jiang Guohe, Hong Lumin, and Lai Xiaojun）
