UK students eager to make the most of 11-day Mandarin program in China

More than 1,300 students and teachers from 60 secondary schools across the United Kingdom are taking part in the 2026 Mandarin Excellence Programme in China, an 11-day immersion program across 11 Chinese cities featuring intensive language learning and cultural experiences.

The cities include Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou in Guangdong province and Chengdu in Sichuan province. The program, which was launched on Monday, is jointly organized by the UCL Institute of Education, the British Council and China's Center for Language Education and Cooperation.

Launched in 2016, the program has supported more than 18,000 UK students over the past decade, helping young people develop Chinese language proficiency and intercultural communication skills.

For many students, the journey to China has been years in the making.

Solo Uniacke, a student at St Mary Magdalene Academy in London, said he chose his school three years ago specifically because it offered the Mandarin Excellence Programme, which he and his family believed would enable students to study the Chinese language and culture in a more systematic and in-depth way.

"I fell in love with our Chinese teacher, Mr Luo, in the very first week of school," Uniacke said. "His humor and patience make our Chinese classes both fun and highly effective."

Through the program, Uniacke has learned expressions such as renshanrenhai (a sea of people), cheshuimalong (heavy traffic) and sexiangweijuquan (a feast for the senses).

He also discovered the cultural stories behind Chinese characters. For example, he explained in fluent Chinese why the characters for "east" (dong) and "west" (xi), when combined, mean "things" (dongxi) in Chinese.

During the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Chang'an (now Xi'an) had two major markets: the East Market, which sold luxury goods, and the West Market, which specialized in imported products brought by foreign merchants. Over time, people began using dongxi — literally "east-west" — to refer to goods and other items, he said.

Erin Bowden, a student from Wilmington Grammar School for Girls, shared similar enthusiasm.

"We chose to study Mandarin because our school has the MEP, and our parents wanted us to learn Chinese to improve our career prospects," she said.

"We also really wanted to go to China. We saw our predecessors go to China and were so envious, so we worked hard to join the program."

In addition to studying the language, the students have learned about Chinese culture, including the Terracotta Warriors, classical poems such as The Ballad of Mulan, and the folk tale Three Monks.

"After three years of study, we've finally made it to China, to Beijing. We're so excited," Bowden said.

Yu Yunfeng, head of the Center for Language Education and Cooperation, said the program's enduring popularity reflects not only growing enthusiasm for learning Chinese among British young people, but also the vitality of people-to-people exchanges between China and the UK.

"Language is a tool for exchanging ideas, a vehicle for passing on civilization, and a bridge for enhancing mutual understanding," Yu said. "Mastering Chinese gives you the key to the treasure house of several thousand years of Chinese civilization and to a circle of friends of more than a billion people with whom you can communicate directly, opening up infinite possibilities."

He said he sincerely hopes students will make the most of the platform by studying diligently, growing through experience, discovering the rich and diverse perspectives different cultures offer, and gaining a deeper appreciation of the opportunities presented by a warm, friendly and dynamic China.

zoushuo@chinadaily.com.cn