Outreach, Extension and Continuing Education (OECE)

‘Chinese for Beginners’ Language Course

Learning Chinese language is a gateway to open up new opportunities in a dynamic world. It is not just about learning a foreign language but also a new effective skill to develop one’s efficiency keeping pace with the global market. With this aim, Outreach, Extension, and Continuing Education under the Office of the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the Independent University, Bangladesh organized a new course titled “Chinese for Beginners” to teach Chinese language for the beginners for daily communication. It also included discussion about China, its culture and customs which are important to know for a visit, study and work in China, or any type of work collaboration with China. Since relationship between Bangladesh and China is going to increase in the coming years, having some basic knowledge in Chinese will be helpful for the learners. This 3-month (30-hour) course started on January 20, 2017 and ended on May 5, 2017. It included 13 sessions scheduled on each Friday evening, 6 pm – 8.30 pm. It was aimed:

1. To teach basic Chinese language for everyday conversations.
2. To teach fundamental rules of Chinese grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and characters.
3. To acquaint participants with the history, culture and custom of China.

Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, a renowned professor who has been teaching Chinese language for a long time, was the faculty of this course. Presently, he is teaching a Chinese language course for the undergraduate students at Independent University, Bangladesh, as well. He has learned Chinese from the Yunnan University, Kunming, and Beijing Language and Culture University, Beijing. After learning Chinese language, he worked as the Chief Technical Advisor at International Poverty Reduction Centre in China, a government research and training institute. In 3 years of his stay in China, he learned about the history, culture, economic development, and dynamics of the society and people of China.

This course combined printed study materials with online, interactive, and participatory methods of learning. Presentation, written assignments, periodic quizzes, mid-term and final examinations will be used to evaluate the learning.

People from different professions participated and successfully completed the course. On May 5, 2017, Professor Milan Pagon, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, the course faculty, handed certificates to the participants.