Study tour to Jiangsu Normal University

A total of 19 students from both UTAR Kampar and Sungai Long Campus experienced an eye-opening study tour to Jiangsu Normal University (JSNU), China for the very first time from 10 to 18 October 2017. The ten-day study tour was jointly organised by UTAR and JSNU to strengthen their strong collaborative ties since 2016.

Accompanying the group was Division of Community and International Networking (DCInternet) Assistant Manager Chin Sau Lai. The UTAR staff and students were warmly welcomed through a grand opening ceremony on 11 October 2017 by the JSNU International Office Deputy Director Dr Li Xu, Director of Teaching-Research Section of International College Dr Guo Jingping and JSNU staffs and students.

During the opening ceremony, Dr Li expressed his warm welcome to all the delegates. He enthused, “Xuzhou is the hometown of Han emperor Liu Bang, a place full of Han culture and spirit of Confucianism, and I hope that UTAR students can learn the Chinese traditional history and culture through this opportunity and get inspiration and flourish with the Han culture. I hope this study tour will further strengthen the network and camaraderie between UTAR and JSNU.”

The opening ceremony featured a myriad of performances brought by the JSNU students. Among the performances were Xinjiang traditional dancing, poetry reciting, Chinese calligraphy, traditional paper cutting and singing. Apart from that, there was also a networking session held between UTAR and JSNU students. The delegates were also taken on a guided tour around the campus where they were given a glimpse of how tutorial classes are conducted in JSNU. After the campus tour, UTAR students joined their first lecture on Chinese culture and had the opportunity to learn in depth about the Chinese legacy and its heritage including the traditional Chinese instruments.

Throughout the week, the UTARians were introduced to a series of short courses, city sightseeing tours, workshop as well as other educational activities. The series of short courses and workshop included calligraphy, Chinese classical poetry, Chinese apparel culture, Tai Chi, paper cutting and design Chinese stamps. In addition to that, the students also had the opportunity to visit some historical places such as the Museum of Xuzhou, the hometown of Confucius, Confucius Temple and the Cemetery of Confucius in Qufu, Shandong, Yunlong Park, and the Master of Nets Garden in Suzhou.

The UTAR staff, Chin was also invited to give a talk to 30 JSNU Optoelectronic Information Science and Engineering students who will be nominated to participate in the intensive short course programme which will be held in UTAR Kampar Campus in February 2018.

One of the participants, Bachelor of Accounting student Chiew Bor Jinn Eugene said, “We were exposed to the differences pertaining to their culture and beliefs while meeting new people and mingling around with the locals. One of the truths of this study tour is that it served as a fine deed to pursue things unearthed by us and, particularly, to be aware of certain differences between us as well as similarities. It enabled us to perceive certain issues in a new perspective and such study tour even allowed students to immerse themselves in a different community even if it has been just a short period of time.”

He added, “In return, we were exposed to the cultures of different socio-economic statuses which helped us construct compassion and a better understanding of these cultures. To a certain extent, we could say that it further allowed us to gain a new perspective on things simply because we had been there; we had experienced it and somehow built a connection to that culture or place.”

Another participant Gan Yee Wen said, “Joining the study tour to Jiangsu Normal University is the best decision that I made. It was an amazing and wonderful trip. During this trip, I not only made many new friends but also gained knowledge and experiences especially about the lifestyle and culture of China even though we are using the same language. This is a good opportunity for me to explore new cultures and belief of other countries such as Korea and Niger, besides China. Moreover, I like the weather of the time when we were in Jiangsu Normal University; it is cool and fresh for me. Apart from that, people here are nice and helpful as they are willing to help even a stranger. The lecturers and buddies are helpful and kind to provide us with a lot of assistance in terms of guiding and teaching us. In short, I am very happy with this trip and I enjoyed it well.”

She added, “I learnt new knowledge from them. For example, I exposed myself to the various types of calligraphy, traditional costumes like HanFu other than cheongsam, paper cutting and Chinese music instruments. It was my first time to learn Pipa (琵琶). I thought of learning it before, but I did not put in any effort and it was truly my luck to be able to approach it during this trip. In addition to that, I learnt how to interact well with lecturers, administrative staff and students. Through this, it enhanced my interpersonal and communication skills. On top of that, it also improved my knowledge of the history of Xuzhou and also China.”

The enriching study tour officially came to an end following a tour to Suzhou and Shanghai to learn about the different faces of modern China in Shanghai, while in Suzhou UTARians experienced all the grandeur of the nation's history through the perspective of its classic garden culture.

From left: Dr Li and Chin

Students learning their favourite music instruments

Students with their calligraphy artwork

UTARians showcasing their Han apparel during the class

Clockwise from top left: Visit to Qufu, Shandong, the hometown of Confucius and Confucius Temple