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International conference on teaching Chinese kicks off in Yerevan

Xinhua, November 8, 2016 Adjust font size:

An international conference attended by school principals and teachers in the frameworks of the "21st Century Silk Road" project kicked off at the Yerevan State University of Languages and Social Sciences (YSULS), on Monday, reported Armenpress.

In her opening remarks, YSULS Rector Gayane Gasparyan said that the Confucius Institute in Yerevan had previously organized a number of other similar events but it was the first time a conference was taking place to touch upon practical issues.

"In all international conferences pertaining to education we've always had employees of universities taking part, but this is the first time we have school principals and teachers as participants," Ms. Gasparyan noted.

According to her, Mandarin Chinese has become increasingly popular in Armenia. There are about 5-6 native speakers of Mandarin coming to work in Armenia but, according to Gasparyan, the demand for the language is so high that Armenia plans to prepare its own specialists in the country.

Principals and teachers from China, Russia, Georgia, and Armenia are taking part in the conference keen on discussing the perspectives and current issues of teaching Chinese with regard to specific methodologies.

The Confucius Institute of Yerevan has two branches operating at the YSULS and the Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University. There are currently six public schools in Armenia teaching Mandarin Chinese. A Chinese Language Center was recently opened in Armenia' s second largest city Gyumri.

Among those attending the event organized by the Confucius Institute were the Chinese Ambassador to Armenia, Tian Erlong, and member of the Armenian parliament, Ruzanna Muradyan. Enditem