CDU Confucius Institute video transcript
TITLES:
Confucius Institute
Charles Darwin University
The Confucius Institute at Charles Darwin University opened in 2012.
Since that time the CI has become a welcome part of the Darwin Community.
In less than two years more than 2000 students and staff have participated in CI
programs and events.
TITLE: Prof. Martin Jarvis, CDU CI Director
PROFESSOR MARTIN JARVIS, CDU CI DIRECTOR: The Confucius Institutes
around the world are all different flavours, that’s the most important thing to
understand about them, is that they’re not one type. So our Confucius Institute here
is Creative Arts focussed. Our focus is to engage with musicians, fine arts, and visual
artists in the creative arts space.
TITLE: Prof. Sharon Bell, Interim Vice Chancellor
PROFESSOR SHARON BELL, INTERIM VICE CHANCELLOR CDU 2014: There
are a couple of features of the Charles Darwin University Confucius Institute that
make it unique in the Australian context and probably in the world context.
TITLE: Dr Aggie Wegner, Associate Dean Research
DR AGGIE WEGNER, ASSOCIATE DEAN RESEARCH CDU: Darwin is very
different to all other cities in Australia. Particularly being small, one gets a sense of
community in conjunction with a tropical lifestyle. The easy living, huge coastline but
also magnificent environment with many national parks, important national parks,
close to our doorstep.
DR AGGIE WEGNER, ASSOCIATE DEAN RESEARCH CDU: Darwin in the far north
is Australia’s only tropical harbour city and it is closer to destinations in Asia than any
other Australian capitals. It’s geographic location has contributed to the significant
growth and development that has occurred over the over the last 10 years.
DR AGGIE WEGNER, ASSOCIATE DEAN RESEARCH CDU: Darwin has a
relatively small population with just over 100,000 people yet it is culturally very
diverse, with a multicultural population of over 100 nationalities.
DR AGGIE WEGNER, ASSOCIATE DEAN RESEARCH CDU: It is also home to the
‘first Australians’ who are one of the oldest living populations in the world.
DR AGGIE WEGNER, ASSOCIATE DEAN RESEARCH CDU: This rich cultural
diversity is enhanced by a spectacular and equally amazing and beautiful natural
environment.
PROFESSOR SHARON BELL, INTERIM VICE CHANCELLOR CDU 2014: It’s also
unique in that we have two Chinese partners, Anhui Normal University and Hainan
University. These two partners together give us really very, very fruitful opportunities
for collaboration. The importance of a Confucius Institute here at Charles Darwin
University, is that it’s given us the opportunity to extend the scope of our teaching,
obviously in Chinese.
NANCY ZHANG CHINESE LECTURER CDU CI: Nowadays the characteristics of
Beijing opera has evolved. These days traditional face painting and fancy costumes
are no longer a necessity.
MR DONG HE LIU, CDU DIRECTOR CI: From April 2013 we ran the first Chinese
language programs aiming to promote oral Chinese language skills to local people.
We run nearly four terms of short-term Chinese classes.
PROFESSOR SHARON BELL, INTERIM VICE CHANCELLOR CDU 2014: There’s
also opportunities for us to engage with local schools, to engage with teachers of
Chinese in schools and to really have a much broader scope and remit than we do
strictly as a university teaching a subject area, which is Chinese.
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SCHOOL STUDENT: It’s quite difficult to hold the brush right and get the strokes
correct.
TITLE: THE CI also offer “Chinese Corner” classes to the wider Darwin community
TITLE: Dong He Liu, CDU CI Director
MR DONG HE LIU, CDU DIRECTOR CI: This is a very famous calligrapher, many
Chinese calligraphy beginners who start to learn Chinese calligraphy follow his suit.
Dot, horizontal stroke, vertical stroke, just in this one character.
MR DONG HE LIU, CDU DIRECTOR CI: The Chinese Corner activities are a series
of activities which are held by our Confucius Institute. The activities happen every
two weeks and calligraphy is also included. The purpose of holding this kind of
activity is to let people know more about Chinese culture and have the chance to
practise their Chinese.
STUDENT: In my opinion, compared to the Westerners, Chinese hold a different
attitude to calligraphy. The process and result of writing is considered an art form, but
in the West it may have been the case 500 years ago but not anymore.
MR DONG HE LIU, CDU DIRECTOR CI: And then press, and then lift gradually.
NANCY ZHANG CHINESE LECTURER CDU CI: What made you decide to come to
this Chinese Corner class?
STUDENT: Because Chinese has always been one of my interests, my Chinese
speaking is getting better however, I don’t write Chinese very well. When talking with
my friends we mostly use digital devices to communicate. For instance we use
instant messaging over the internet and text messaging on smart phones. However
these days we rarely pick up a pen to actually write the characters.
MR DONG HE LIU, CDU DIRECTOR CI: And if you have any problems, if you would
like to talk to me on Chinese calligraphy, I will always be in my office, so I welcome
you to my office anytime.
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TITLE: In 2013 CDU students went to Anhui Normal University, China for their incountry program
MR DONG HE LIU, CDU DIRECTOR CI: Last year, we organised 10 students from
Charles Darwin University to go to Anhui Normal University to study intensive
Chinese language for about 25 days. When they are in China, they not only expose
themselves to the Chinese language but they also learn more about present China.
They can enjoy Chinese food, they can visit friends and also go out for sightseeing.
By attending such a kind of in-country program, students can not only improve their
Chinese levels, but also can see China with their own eyes and see the economic
development situation in China and to know more about daily life of Chinese people.
After attending these kinds of programs, people know more about China.
STUDENT: Hello every one my name is William Bampton. My Chinese name is
Weilian. I have been studying Chinese for eleven months. I went to china last year
and had a good time. I would like to go there again. I can speak a little bit of Chinese,
but definitely not fluent. I like traveling and music. Thank you.
TITLES:
And in February 2014 the CI welcomed 34 new students from China to study at CDU.
Over 100 Chinese students currently study at CDU.
PROFESSOR SHARON BELL, INTERIM VICE CHANCELLOR CDU 2014: It’s given
us an opportunity to engage and exchange activities that would have been quite
difficult for us to facilitate without a Confucius Institute. So it really is a vehicle which
gives us visibility, some additional resources and a focus as a destination, which
would have been difficult for us to achieve with just a single and very small Chinese
Department within a larger Arts and Creative Arts School.
MR DONG HE LIU, CDU DIRECTOR CI: And you can also visit our website to get
the latest information, okay, thank you.
MR DONG HE LIU, CDU DIRECTOR CI: We also sponsor Tai Chi class. Tai Chi is a
very important part of Chinese culture. We run this kind of class in order to let local
people know more about Chinese culture. The Tai Chi class has been run very
successfully. Up to now, we have around four classes of Chinese Tai Chi.
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MR DONG HE LIU, CDU DIRECTOR CI: The next one is a prelude. Follow up step,
sit back and constrain your two arms.
MR DONG HE LIU, CDU DIRECTOR CI: The Confucius Institute has got a lot of
responsibilities. The CI would try to seize every opportunity to use the institute as a
platform to promote the academic exchanges and other relationships between
Charles Darwin University and Chinese partner Universities. And also, we try to use
this platform to organise some activities instructed by Hanban or other activities
organised by the Anhui Provincial education department.
TITLE: Katrina Fong Lim, Lord Mayor of Darwin
MR DONG HE LIU, CDU DIRECTOR CI: Last year, we invited six musicians from the
College of Music of Anhui Normal University and asked them to bring lots of
traditional music to show local people.
PROFESSOR MARTIN JARVIS, CDU CI DIRECTOR: That’s one of the beauties of
the Confucius Institute, is that it isn’t aimed just at university students but at the
broader community.
MR DONG HE LIU, CDU DIRECTOR CI: In addition to this, last year we also invited
several Professors from Anhui Normal University. For instance, we invited Professor
Hou from the College of Tourism in Anhui Normal University and also Professor Ma
from the College of Economics and Business Administration of Anhui Normal
University, to deliver lectures on tourism in China and also on the micro economic
situation in China.
PROFESSOR MA, ANHUI NORMAL UNIVERSITY: Due to the joint effect of proactive fiscal and currency policies, the Chinese economy has rebounded and
achieved a stable recovery.
TITLE: ABC TV
ABC TV NEWS COVERAGE: The Federal Government’s “Asian Century White
Paper” identified Darwin as uniquely placed to benefit from increased ties to its’
northern neighbours.
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TITLE: Terry Mills, NT Chief Minister 2013
TERRY MILLS, NORTHERN TERRITORY CHIEF MINISTER 2013: What’s
important in our region is to understand the people.
TITLE: Prof. Barney Glover, 2013 CDU Vice Chancellor
PROFESSOR BARNEY GLOVER VICE CHANCELLOR CDU 2013: We certainly
foresee Darwin growing dramatically in the Asian century. It is certainly the
University’s view that we have great opportunities to link in to Asia even more
strongly than we’re doing now.
TITLE: ABC TV
ABC TV NEWS COVERAGE: Territorians used the first Cultural Day at the City’s
new Confucius Institute to take lessons in tea, talk and tackling chopsticks.
TITLE: Dong He Liu, CDU CI Director
MR DONG HE LIU, CDU DIRECTOR CI: To build friendships it’s very good for
people to know the culture, if you know the culture people can understand each
other, that’s very important.
TITLES FOR STILLS:
Prof. Lun Wang, President, Anhui Normal University
Prof. Guohua Fu, Vice President, Hainan University
Mr. Heping Li, Deputy Director General, Anhui Provincial Education Dept.
Mr. Jide Zhang, Second Secretary of Education, Chinese Embassy
Paul Henderson, 2012 NT Chief Minister 2012
MR DONG HE LIU, CDU DIRECTOR CI: Anhui Province has established a good
sister relationship with the Northern Territory since 2001. So that’s a very important
reason why Hanban has chosen Anhui Normal University as the partner University
for the establishment of the Confucius Institute at Charles Darwin University.
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PROFESSOR SHARON BELL, INTERIM VICE CHANCELLOR CDU 2014:
The Confucius Institute at Charles Darwin University came about through a very
strong relationship between the Northern Territory Government and the Provincial
Government of the Province of Anhui in China. So in some ways it’s interesting
because it didn’t start as a university initiative, it started as a Government initiative
but it is now being very strongly and energetically led by the University.
MR DONG HE LIU, CDU DIRECTOR CI: The Charles Darwin University Confucius
Institute is one of the thirteen Confucius Institutes in Australia. The purpose of
organising all these activities is to let people know more about China.
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