w88 casino News Network (Contributed by the International Chinese Education (Business) Practice and Research Base)On April 1, at the “Partnership Awards 2025” award ceremony at the University of Leeds Business w88 casino in the UK, the team of the Confucius Institute for Business at the University of Leeds (hereinafter referred to as “Leeds Confucius Institute”) won the “Global Impact Awards” and “Mentorship Awards” for their outstanding contributions to cultural exchanges and Chinese education. Two nominations were made and finally won the "Global Impact Award". The Partner of the Year Awards recognize Leeds Business w88 casino partners, staff and students who have made an outstanding contribution to enhancing the teaching experience. The award ceremony was hosted by Julia Bennell, Executive Dean of the Business w88 casino, and attended by more than a hundred faculty, staff, partner representatives, and student representatives from the Business w88 casino. Jack Popwell, Director of Communications and Operations at the Confucius Institute at Leeds, and Liu Xiaolong, Director of Teaching and Learning were invited to attend the ceremony on behalf of the Confucius Institute at Leeds.
Among many nominees, Jack Popplewell stood out and won the Global Impact Award, which honors outstanding individuals who promote international communication and cross-cultural understanding. Jack successfully planned and executed a three-week series of Spring Festival-themed activities, attracting more than 5,000 people. The Mayor of Leeds, Abigail Katung, the Consul General of China in the UK and other dignitaries attended the event. Mainstream media such as the BBC and The Yorkshire Post reported on the relevant activities. In addition, Jack also hosted the New Year concert in Leeds for the Chinese Folk Orchestra from Guangzhou in bilingual Chinese and English during the Spring Festival. His fluent bilingual skills were widely praised in the events hosted in Leeds, Harrogate and other places. The cultural activities organized by the Confucius Institute at Leeds in cooperation with institutions such as Merrion Shopping Center and Harrogate Grammar w88 casino have also effectively enhanced the reputation of the University of Leeds in the field of international exchange and cultural dissemination.
The Chinese teaching team of Leeds Confucius Institute led by teaching director Liu Xiaolong was also nominated for the “Best Instructor Award”. In the UK Regional Competition of the 2024 "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for College Students, a team of Chinese teachers from the Confucius Institute at Leeds provided systematic guidance to Francesca Pala and Sophie Kelly, students from the University of Leeds, for two months. In the end, Sophie Kelly advanced to the semi-finals, and Francesca Parra won the 'British Regional Competition Runner-up', 'Best Eloquence Award', and 'Most Popular Contestant Award' in one fell swoop. She was hired as the '2024 China Tourism Promotion Ambassador' and accepted interviews from many well-known media such as China International TV Station and 'China Daily'.
Since 2025, the Confucius Institute at Leeds has provided Chinese learning courses for nearly a hundred students from the University of Leeds, local secondary schools, Chinese communities and surrounding areas, and organized Chinese proficiency tests for more than 50 candidates. At the same time, it has dedicated more than ten different types of language and culture exhibitions and exchange activities to various schools, enterprises and people in the region, which has been widely welcomed by all walks of life.
