On the morning of July 4, the opening ceremony of 2026 UK Mandarin Excellence Programme (MEP) Intensive Study in China was held at the Baiyun Mountain Campus of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies (GDUFS). The programmewas initiatedby the UK Department for Education, supported by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC) of China’s Ministry of Education, andjointlyorganized by UCL Institute of Education and the British Council.Representatives from GDUFS, the British Consulate-General Guangzhou,and theUCL Institute of Educationattended the ceremony, together with68 teachers and students from five British secondary schools andthevolunteer teams. The ceremony was hosted by Cai Hong, Dean of the Institute for International Education at GDUFS.

Liu Jianda, Vice President of GDUFS, extended a warm welcome to thevisiting teachersandstudents from the UKand briefly introduced the university’s history,itsinternational exchanges and cooperation, and itscommitment tocultivating internationally mindedtalent. He noted that “the programme focuses on excellencein Chineselanguageeducation,and it’s truly avisionary initiative.” He emphasized that learning Chinese ismore than acquiringanewlanguage;it is also an opportunity to broaden one's perspective.  By learning Chinese, British students can sharpen their observation skills, strengthentheirlogicalthinking, and developgreatercross-cultural understanding. He encouragedthe studentstotake an active partinthe summer camp’sdiverse interactive activities, experience therichnessof Chinese culturewhile learning thelanguage, and strive tosharetheir own storiesof connection withChina in fluent Chinese.

Michelle Tate, Teacher Training and Professional Development Coordinator at UCL Institute of Education, expressedhergratitude to all the Chinese and British partners for their effortsin supporting the programme. She noted that this year’s programme is large in scale, with over 1,150 Year 9 students from 60 schoolsacrosstheUKparticipating in immersive learning programmes at 18 partner institutionsacrossChina. She encouragedthestudents tomake the most ofevery opportunity, both inside and outside the classroom, to speak Chinese withconfidence. “Thisjourneywill planttheseeds of cross-cultural exchange and mutual understanding in the hearts of British students, and theywillone daybear fruit," she said.

Teachersleadingthegroupsfrom five participating schools, Christ’s College Finchley, The Castle School, Saint Gregory’s Catholic College, Wapping High School, and Woodrush School,agreedthat both teachers and students hadbeen looking forward to the visit for a long timeand were eager to experience everyday of their stayin China. They agreed that this valuable experience would not only enhance students’ language skills but boost their confidence and broaden their horizons through language learning and culturalexperiences, helping them come to seethemselvesnot only as British citizens but also as global citizens. They believed that the enthusiasm for Chinese languagelearningand cross-cultural understandinginspired bythis journey wouldhelpstudentsgrowinto a newgeneration with aglobaloutlook.

Student representatives shared their excitementatarriving in Chinafor the first time. Theysaid that theywere deeply impressed by the vitality and beauty of Guangzhou,and found everything—from language courses, exhibitions, local cuisine, to diverse cultural activities—bothnovel and fascinating. Theyalso expressedgreatenthusiasmforthe upcoming cultural exploration and language learning.

During the event, Elena,a British student,told ourreporterfrom Outlook New Era that the programmehad been anexcitingexperienceand that she was amazed byherfirsthand experiencein China. Shesaid she was particularly looking forwardto experiencingChinese martial arts during the rest of the programme and hoped to use Chinese in her future career. Four other students, Oliver, Deen, Cade, and Jacob,wereall first-time visitors to China. Afteraday of cultural activities,they saidthatthey were deeply impressed by the vibrancy ofGuangzhou andits richcultural atmosphere. Compared with classroom learning, they described this study tour as a completely new experience and felt privileged to gain a genuine and in-depth understanding ofthe roots ofChinese culture. They also hoped that their Chinese language skills wouldcreatemore possibilities for their personal growth in the future.

The 12-day summer camp combines classroom learning with real-world language use through a series of language courses, culturalactivities, and exchange visits. In addition to classroom instruction, students will visit landmarks such as the Guangzhou Urban Planning Exhibition Center, the Nanyue King Museum, and the ShamianHistoric District. They will alsoexperiencetraditional Chinese cultureby enjoyingCantonese morning tea,learningmartial arts, lacquer fan making, and paper-cutting.

The Mandarin Excellence Programme (MEP), established and funded by the UK Department for Education in 2016, aims to develop high levels of Chinese language proficiency among young people in the UK.The programmeisjointlydelivered by UCL Institute of Education and the British Council, withthesupportofthe Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC) of China’s Ministry of Education, through Chinese language teaching in the UK and immersivelearningprogramme in China. Since its launch,ithas helped more than 10,000 students from nearly 80 secondary schoolsacrossEnglandembark on the path to Chinesefluency. GDUFS hashostedthe Guangzhou component of the programme since 2024, with this year marking the university’s third consecutive year as the local host. (Outlook New Era)