In early February, 2018, Professor Chang Shu-Ping, Director of the Chinese Learning Center at the University of Taipei, had the honor of being the first scholar from Taiwan to be invited by Moscow City University (MCU) to visit. Her visit was arranged with the help of the Education Division of the Taipei-Moscow Economic and Cultural Coordination Commission (TMECCC), and Professor Vladimir Kurdyumov, Chair of the Department of Chinese Language at Moscow City University.

Prof. Kurdyumov received a Taiwan Fellowship grant in 2017 and undertook research at National Taiwan University as a visiting scholar, with the help of the Education Division at the TMECCC. During his stay in Taiwan, he was invited by the University of Taipei to give lectures on the linguistics of Mandarin Chinese. On his recommendation, Dr. Igor Remorenko, the Rector of MCU, agreed to invite Prof. Chang Shu-Ping, to come to MCU in Russia as a visiting scholar.

Prof. Chang gave two presentations during her stay in Moscow: one on Teaching linguistics in the Chinese Language Faculty of the University of Taipei, and the other on Basic Terms and Concepts of Linguistics. Each lecture attracted an audience of around 120 people, including students and teaching staff and received a warm response. During the second lecture views on different methodologies for interpreting the “Confucian Analects” were exchanged by a number of professors in the university’s Department of Chinese Language.

While in Moscow, Prof. Chang also visited Mr. Kelly W. Hsieh, the Head of the TMECCC. During their meeting, Kelly pointed out that the two universities have a similar background and proposed that they explore signing an MOU to enhance cooperation. Prof. Chang expressed her willingness to help and will have detailed discussions about the possibility with Dr. Dana Tai, president of the University of Taipei.

Moscow City University is one of the three major normal universities in Russia and one of the TMECCC’s closest partners in Moscow. As well as training and educating teachers for schools and universities, it prepares professionals to work in a wide range of fields. Two Mandarin Chinese teachers from Taiwan are currently working there, and MCU works with the TMECCC to promote language exchange programs each year. The TMECCC Education Division looks forward to more interaction between Moscow City University and the University of Taipei.

Photo:Chang Shu-Ping (at the back, holding a microphone), Director of the Chinese Learning Center at the University of Taipei, giving a presentation on Basic Terms and Concepts of Linguistics in the conference hall of Moscow City University.