Uni welcomes the Year of the Rooster
Fri, 17 Feb 2017 12:29:00 GMT
Bringing in the Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, has become an annual event at the University
CHINESE New Year, also called Spring Festival, has more than 4,000 years of history and is the grandest and most important annual event for Chinese people. This year is the Year of the Rooster and students at the University of Huddersfield celebrated it in style with a day – and night – full of dancing dragons, exotic fans and intricate craftwork.
On campus in the daytime the University’s Chinese, Vietnamese, Malaysian and Hong Kong student societies celebrated the Lunar New Year and enjoyed showcasing their cultures, crafts, food, fashion and activities, giving other students and staff the chance to enjoy a South-East Asian experience.
When dusk fell an evening gala took place in the University’s St Paul’s Hall, with a variety of cultures displaying singing, dancing, puppetry, juggling and gymnastics. The University’s Pro Vice-Chancellor International, Professor Dave Taylor, opened the event.
The President of the Chinese Student and Scholar’s Association Huddersfield (CSSA-HUD) and member of staff, Dr Zhen Tong, read out a letter from the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Manchester, who offered their personal congratulations to all of the students taking part in the celebrations.
The evening event was also attended by Andrew Mandebura, Director of International Development and Tony Wong, Head of International Partnerships. In addition, key members of the International Office as well as senior officials from the University’s schools and other student societies were present and enjoyed the great performances.
The University’s International Student Experience Manager, Alan Tobi, said: “Each year the whole campus looks forward to these celebrations with great anticipation. It is very satisfying to see how proud our students are to showcase their cultures and make a significant contribution to the diversification and inclusion on campus.”
Nationalities from around the world helped the Chinese students to celebrate the Spring Festival. British student Melissa Carroll, attended the evening gala and said the whole event left her feeling motivated and really positive.
“I was with my friends and we were all amazed at the talent on offer at the evening gala,” said Melissa. “I don't think any of us can juggle a table on our feet! It completely took us all by surprise and was a lovely way to spend an evening.”
The University has nearly 1,000 Chinese students and operates four regional offices in China with its headquarters in Beijing and offices in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Xian.
The University also has regional offices in Vietnam, Hong Kong, Malaysia, India, Nigeria and UAE most of which are managed by University of Huddersfield graduates, part of the commitment the University has to graduate employability.
- The University’s International Office holds an array of activities throughout the year for international students to showcase their cultures and have fun. On 27 February until 03 March is the highly-anticipated International Week where students can become involved with sport tournaments, food festivals, film festivals, cultural events and workshops. More information about International Week can be found online.
