The School of African Studies of Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) held an opening ceremony to launch an undergraduate program of the Malagasy language on Sept 8. 

The ceremony was attended by the school leadership, including heads from its international exchange and cooperation office and the School of African Studies, as well as several ambassadors.

BFSU holds the opening ceremony of the first undergraduate program of the Malagasy language in China on Sept 8.

Sun Youzhong, member of the standing committee of the CPC BFSU committee and vice-president of the university, addressed the opening ceremony. In his speech, Sun thanked the Embassy of the Republic of Madagascar in China for its support to the program.

According to Sun, BFSU is China’s first and only university to set up an undergraduate program teaching Malagasy language. The new program embodies BFSU’s engagement in putting into practice the Belt and Road Initiative and has further improved the university’s discipline structure, and will strengthen the comprehensive partnership between China and Madagascar while deepening Sino-African friendship.

Robinson Jean Louis, Madagascar’s ambassador to China, delivered a speech, in which he reviewed the achievements since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Louis affirmed the significance of the program in promoting cultural exchanges, and expressed his embassy’s determination to keep supporting its construction.

Xue Jinwei, former Chinese ambassador to Gabon and Cameroon, shared his experience of traveling to Madagascar to learn Malagasy in the 1970s. He highly appreciated the establishment of the program, and put forward practical suggestions based on his own studies.

Guo Xiaomei, Chinese ambassador to Madagascar, congratulated BFSU on the opening of the undergraduate program in a video speech. She noted that a profound knowledge of Malagasy language and culture will be helpful in deepening exchanges and collaboration between the two countries.

Rasendra Zo Eva, dean of the Confucius Institute at the University of Tananarive, extended her congratulations by video, saying that the two institutes should enhance cooperation and promote exchanges between the two countries.

Du Yimeng, director of the Malagasy language teaching and research office, said that the faculty would further improve its teaching quality and promote Sino-African friendship in accordance with the requirements of the country and the university.

Student representatives voiced their willingness to shoulder responsibilities and contribute to the common development of China and Madagascar.

BFSU completed the application for setting an undergraduate major of Malagasy language in 2015 and opened the elective course as a third language in September 2016.  At present, the program includes two Chinese teachers and one foreign teacher.