FE UNPRI Holds 5th International Conference and National Conference of the Indonesian Mandarin Study Program Association

APSMI 2024

Medan – The Faculty of Economics, Universitas Prima Indonesia (UNPRI) held the 1st International Conference on Mandarin Language, Chinese Literature and Culture, Mandarin Language Education for Applied Mandarin Language Undergraduate Study Programs for Business and Professional Communication, the 5th Indonesian Mandarin Language Study Program Association and the 5th Indonesian Mandarin Study Program Association National Conference, which was held on 24-25 October 2024 at the UNPRI Campus, Jln. Cover No. 3 Medan.

As resource persons and moderators were Mr. Neo Peng Fu, Director of the Confucius Institute at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Next was Dr. Yeap Chun Keat from Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. Ms. Fanjie, Director of the Confucius Institute at Sebelas Maret University, Indonesia. Dr. Herman from Universal University of Batam, who also serves as Chair of the Association of Mandarin Study Programs in Indonesia (APSMI). From the University of Indonesia were Prof. Dr. R. Tuty Nur Mutia Muas and Dr. Celerina Dewi Hartati from Darma Persada University.

The conference discussed various important topics related to Mandarin language teaching, culture, and language adaptation in Southeast Asia, especially Indonesia. The first material examines the challenges and opportunities for teaching Mandarin in Indonesia, including strategies for improving the curriculum and teaching methods that are tailored to the needs of local students.

In addition, the concept of "holiness" in Chinese culture is also discussed, which includes the spiritual values of Confucianism and Taoism, as well as its influence on the social behavior and customs of Chinese society.

The new position of Mandarin language education in Southeast Asia is also highlighted, with a focus on the importance of local cultural integration in responding to social and economic needs in the region.

Historical texts are used as one of the learning materials to introduce students to the historical context of China, enriching their understanding of Chinese language and culture.

Another topic reviews the increasing number of non-Chinese students studying in Malaysian Chinese schools, explaining the reasons, conditions, and challenges of cultural integration in these schools.

In addition, the Indonesian modal particle "[sih]" in the Mandarin context is also discussed, showing how local language adaptation enriches Mandarin linguistic studies in Indonesia.

This series of materials provides insight comprehensive on Mandarin language teaching and cultural interaction in the Southeast Asia region.

The International Conference and National Conference were attended by around 400 participants, consisting of lecturers, students, and education practitioners from various faculties and universities in Indonesia, researchers, and several guests from institutions related to Mandarin language education and APSMI members from all over Indonesia.

The event was also attended by the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Medan, the UNPRI Advisory Board, the Founder of UNPRI, the Head of BPH UNPRI, the Head of the North Sumatra Mandarin Language Education Institute, the Vice Chancellor of Universitas Prima Indonesia, the Head of the Indonesian Mandarin Study Program Association, the Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Universitas Prima Indonesia, the Director of the Confucius Institute, both from the Indonesian and Chinese sides.

In his remarks, the Chancellor of UNPRI Prof. Dr. Chrismis Novalinda Ginting, M.Kes said the importance of this event in strengthening academic relations between Indonesia and China. The Chinese Consulate General in Medan also delivered a speech emphasizing the importance of learning Chinese language and culture in supporting cultural diplomacy.

Participants were very enthusiastic and felt that this event provided in-depth insights into career development in the field of Chinese language education. The panel discussion with the speakers was also very interactive, providing a lot of new knowledge.

Conference participants hope that this event can be a bridge for closer cooperation between educational institutions in Indonesia and China, and inspire more research and innovation in the field of Chinese language education and Chinese culture in Indonesia.