A Mozambique university has announced it will introduce a degree course in Chinese this year.
The course at Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM) will be conducted through its three-year-old Confucius Institute, an organisation affiliated with China’s ministry of education and aimed at promoting Chinese language and culture, according to New China.
Xing Xianhong, executive director of the institute, said that the university has taught short courses in Chinese to about 2,000 students, but this will be the institution’s first full degree in the language.
“Collaborating with the university authorities, we now have decided to do more and introduce a degree in Chinese,” he said.
He added that lessons are expected to begin at the end of February and there are 60 student places available for the first year. The course will last four years, during which time students will have the chance to visit Chinese universities and work at Chinese companies in Mozambique, he said.
“We have about 15 Chinese teachers and there are also Mozambican teachers who will be lecturing different subjects," he said.