Rural South Africans flock to Chinese classes

Summary

The University of Venda in South Africa introduces a unique Confucius Institute that combines Mandarin language teaching with green technology education. This initiative, supported by the Chinese government and Hu University of Technology, aims to address South Africa's energy crisis and build capacity in sustainable solutions. Despite concerns about academic freedom in Western countries, South African universities encourage independent thought and see the value in exposing students to different cultures and skills, potentially boosting their job prospects in a competitive market.

Takeaways

• 📚 Mandarin is being taught at the University of Venda, one of the hundreds of Confucius Institutes worldwide.
• 🌏 The University of Venda is located in a remote rural area of South Africa, different from other institutes in urban areas like Johannesburg and Cape Town.
• 🔍 The Confucius Institute at the University of Venda combines Chinese language teaching with green technology, focusing on engineering and solar energy.
• 🌱 Students are encouraged to learn Chinese fluently to enable further study in China and gain more knowledge about green technology.
• 🤝 The University of Venda has partnered with a Chinese university, with the Chinese government making significant contributions to the initiative.
• 💡 Confucius Institutes are seen as a way for China to build strategic influence in host countries, aligning with their strategic priorities such as the energy crisis in South Africa.
• 🏛️ In contrast to their role in Africa, Confucius Institutes in Western countries have faced criticism and have been closed due to concerns over academic freedom and political influence.
• 🚫 US universities have been pressured by the government to close Confucius Institutes, with potential loss of federal funding being a factor.
• 🇪🇺 Some European countries have also shut down Confucius Institutes due to similar concerns about academic integrity and political interference.
• 💭 South African universities, however, are not worried and believe students will form their own independent thoughts on politics and global affairs.
• 📈 With high unemployment in South Africa, students hope that learning Chinese will give them an advantage in the job market, especially since Chinese is one of the UN languages and South Africa's biggest trading partner is China.

Q & A

What new skill are South African students learning at the University of Venda?

South African students at the University of Venda are learning Mandarin, which is taught through the Confucius Institute.

How many Confucius Institutes are there worldwide, and how many are in Africa?

There are hundreds of Confucius Institutes worldwide, with approximately 60 of them located in Africa.

What makes the Confucius Institute at the University of Venda different from others?

The Confucius Institute at the University of Venda is unique because it combines Chinese language teaching with Green Technology, focusing on engineering and solar energy.

What is the purpose of combining Chinese language learning with Green Technology at the University of Venda?

The combination aims to prepare students to go to China for further study and gain more knowledge about green technology, which aligns with South Africa's strategic priorities.

Which Chinese university partnered with the University of Venda to set up the Confucius Institute?

The University of Venda partnered with Hu University of Technology in China to establish the Confucius Institute.

How does the Chinese government contribute to the Confucius Institute initiative at the University of Venda?

The Chinese government is contributing significantly to the initiative, as mentioned by the University of Venda's Tabo Deal.

What is the role of Confucius Institutes in China's strategic influence according to China analyst Paul Nila?

Confucius Institutes blend with the strategic priorities of the host countries, offering more than just language training and building capacity in areas like green technology.

Why have many Western countries, including the US, closed Confucius Institutes?

Many Western countries have closed Confucius Institutes due to concerns about potential interference with academic freedoms and the promotion of Chinese propaganda.

What are the concerns regarding Confucius Institutes in Western countries?

Concerns include the institutes' potential to interfere with academic freedoms, faculty self-censorship on taboo Chinese political topics, and government pressure including the risk of losing federal funding.

How do South African universities view the concerns about Confucius Institutes?

South African universities are not worried, believing that students will form their own independent thoughts on politics and global events, and make their own decisions.

What benefits do students hope to gain from learning Mandarin at the Confucius Institute?

Students hope that learning Mandarin will give them an advantage in the job market, especially considering high unemployment levels and China being South Africa's biggest trading partner.

How many students have enrolled in Mandarin classes at the Confucius Institute in Venda?

Approximately 300 students have already enrolled in the Mandarin classes at the Confucius Institute in Venda.