Chinese for Europeans

Conference "China – Language. Culture. Business"
7th June 2013

Conference Program

The conference fee includes attendance at the conference presentations and workshops, lunch, coffee breaks, conference materials and a certificate of attendance, use of conference space and facilities (including WIFI access on site).

Venue: Sint-Jacobsmarkt 9-13 straat, 03-948 Antwerp. Antwerp Management School.
The conference starts with registration of participants from 9.00 to 10.00.

Conference Programme:  download (pdf, 851 kb)

Programme

1. Plenary session | 10.30 - 12.00

  1. Adam Dunnett
    Secretary General, European Chamber Business Confidence Survey of European Chamber of Commerce in China
    • Financial performance, outlook for future growth, profitability and investment.
    • Significance and impact of rising labour costs and competition from private and state-owned Chinese companies.
    • Impact of market access restrictions, rule of law, transparent policy-making and regulatory barriers.
    • Geographic and sector-specific trends.
  2. Barry Tomalin
    Director, Cultural Training at International House
    • Why should Chinese be taught from an early age?
    • Foreign language teaching methods using ICT and the role of mobile applications in language teaching
    • Culture differences between Europe and China
    • What are the most effective methods of teaching Chinese

2. Session on Business Communication and management | 13.00 - 14.30

This workshop session focuses on some key issues about the business communication and management between European and Chinese firms. While business leaders are invited to share their experiences in developing and managing their international operations in China as well as in Europe, academic experts will discuss about key challenges in cross-cultural management and business new opportunities between Europe and China.

Moderator: Thomas Albert Rosenthal (Fondazione Italia Cina)

  1. Thomas Albert Rosenthal
    Prof. Dr. at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and Fondazione Italia Cina
    Management challenges for Chinese companies operating in Italy
  2. Haiyan Zhang
    Prof. Dr. and academic director of the Euro-China Centre at Antwerp Management School
    Post-acquisition management of Chinese in Europe
  3. Vincent Mottrie
    Founder and Managing director of Flanders Blue Square
    Learning Chinese to facilitate the market access in China
  4. Wing Fa Lau
    Managing director of Hedgren Creation NV
    Managing cross-cultural differences for business growth in Europe
  5. Mindaugas Reinikis
    Chairman of Lithuania-China Forum,
    Challenging China's market: A case of an Lithuanian SME

3. Session on Language and culture | 13.00 - 14.30

This session will focus on the following subjects:  why Chinese should be taught from an early age? Speakers will present foreign language teaching methods using ICT and the role of mobile applications in language teaching. They will present culture differences between Europe and China and the most effective methods of teaching Chinese.

Moderator: Robert Williams (International Certificate Conference)

  1. Ching Lin Pang
    Head of the department of Chinese at the Artesis University College, Antwerp, Belgium
    Chinese language teaching in heritage and other schools
  2. Bogdan Zemanek
    Jagiellonian University in Poland
    Teaching culture - teaching language. Role of popularization lectures
    and seminars - case study of Confucius Institute in Krakow
  3. Sławomir Czepielewski
    Vice-Rector responsible for development of international cooperation in Warsaw Academy of Computer Science Management and Administration in Warsaw
    Micro Mobile Mandarin in Education  
  4. Adina Zemanek
    Institute of Middle and Far Eastern Studies, Jagiellonian University
    Teaching the Chinese language to Polish university students with no philological background - is grammar necessary?

4. Session on European projects | 13.00 - 14.30

To share good practises and experiences of teaching European languages to third-country migrants and vice versa while using innovative and creative methods. The emphasis lies on promotion of smooth integration as well as encouragement of improved global communication and understanding.

Moderator: Daiva Malinauskien (Soros International House, LT)

  1. Paola Costa
    Orientalmente
    The advantages of study Chinese per video-conference - case of study Orientalmente methodology
  2. Francesca Bonati
    Italy China Foundation
    Chinesecom and Chinese for Europeans: contemporary tools to improve European awareness of Chinese world (LLP, KA-2)
  3. Gileta Kieriene
    Soros International House
    Migrants' Integrating Kit - Basic Language for Dealing with Financial Matters “Integra” (LLP, Grundtvig Multilateral Projects)
  4. Aiste Dabuleviciute
    Soros International House
    Mission Possible: Chinese for Europeans (LLP, KA-2)

5. Closing session in Antwerp City Hall | 15.30 - 16.30

  1. Philip Heylen
    Antwerp Alderman of Culture and economics
    The relationship between Antwerp and China