BCI Supports Global Opportunities Team with Mandarin and Cultural Workshop

On Friday 26 June, the Business Confucius Institute (BCI) was delighted to support the University of Leeds Global Opportunities Team with an interactive Mandarin language and Chinese culture workshop attended by around 50 members of staff.

The session began with a series of fun icebreaker activities led, encouraging participants to work together to identify major world cities from their Mandarin names. Despite the exceptionally high temperatures that day—which saw the UK experience record-breaking June heat—staff embraced the challenges with enthusiasm, creating a lively and welcoming atmosphere throughout the session.

Participants then took part in group-based activities designed to build their confidence with basic Mandarin vocabulary and conversational phrases. Guided by BCI Chinese teacher Qingyuan Yang, attendees practised introducing themselves in Mandarin and gained an insight into the Chinese language in an engaging and supportive environment.

The workshop concluded with a China-themed Global Opportunities quiz, allowing participants to put their newly acquired knowledge to the test while learning more about Chinese culture and international opportunities.

The session provided an enjoyable introduction to Mandarin while highlighting the importance of intercultural communication and global engagement. BCI was pleased to support the Global Opportunities Team, and it was wonderful to see such strong participation from colleagues who remained fully engaged despite the challenging heat. We look forward to collaborating on future initiatives that help broaden international awareness across the University community.

Interested in working with BCI?

The Business Confucius Institute is always happy to support colleagues across the University. Whether your department regularly engages with Chinese students, is planning recruitment or study abroad visits to China, or would like to develop its knowledge of Chinese language, culture and business practices, BCI can provide tailored workshops, cultural briefings and language support to help teams build confidence and strengthen international engagement. Please get in touch to discuss how we can support your activities.