Liberia-China reaffirm Commitment to Students’ Exchange

The University of Liberia through the Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanity has officially granted and launched the 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(UL). 

The Bachelor of Arts Degree in Chinese Language and Culture is arranged in 3+1 years. During the first three years, lecturers will be undertaken at the University of Liberia. 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 270.

On level 3 or score 180 on level four. By the end of the fourth year, students will return to Liberia for graduation and upon graduation, students are opportune to have a scholarship to do master in Chinese. 

At the official launch of the program held at the Boulevard Palace in Sinkor, Monrovia 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 Minor in Chinese Language and Culture, Diploma as well as Elective. 

The Confucius Institute at the UL as the first Confucius Institute in West Africa was jointly established by the UL and Changsha University of Science and Technology in Liberia 2008. 

CIUL provides teaching in Chinese Language courses for free and Chinese Test with the aims of promoting cultural exchange and friendship between Liberia and China. 

The decision by the authority of the university 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 BA Degree program in Chinese Language and Culture.

In a communication delivered on Friday, August 18, 2023, the university revealed that on August 15th and 17th respectively, 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 Bachelor of Arts degree in Chinese language and culture. 

After tense debate with the faculty senate, the decision was finally reached to offer 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 Cultural Exchange that will contribute significantly to Liberia’s educational system and solve language barrier issues in Liberia and its surroundings.

Additionally, the program aimed at educating Chinese Language and Culture at the UL 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, 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 viewed as appropriate and beneficial to Liberia.

Making remarks at the program via a pre-recorded video, the Secretary General of the Chinese International Education Foundation, Prof. Zhao Ling-Shan extolled the UL for accepting the program.

According to him, the offering of Chinese Language and Culture at full bachelor will help Liberian students with opportunity and experience as Chinese Language gradually taking over. 

Also making remarks, the UL Vice President for Administration, Madam Benetta Joko Tarr, pledged the administration fullest commitment and support to the Confucius Institute through its BA 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 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. 

For his part, the Charge d'Affairs at the Chinese Embassy in Liberia, Fan Erwei, thanked the Government of Liberia through the university for granting the program.

According to him, the People's Republic of China remains committed to supporting the Government of Liberia.