My name is  Mr Liu Hongjie and I was welcomed as Learning and Teaching Scotland Confucius Institute’s first Chinese Director in October 2010. 

I’m from Tianjin and in charge of the International Department at the No 42 High School in China and I’m now working with Professor Kay Livingston, Director of the Confucius Institute and her team to support the promotion and development of Chinese language and culture across the Confucius Classroom Hubs.   

I also have responsibility for co-ordinating the work of seven teachers from Tianjin who have joined me in Scotland. The teachers are from each of the partner schools of the first seven Confucius Classroom Hubs coordinated by Learning and Teaching Scotland.   

They’re all enjoying their stay in Scotland and working with the staff and pupils in their schools. The range of work they are undertaking includes the development of both language and culture across the hubs and includes activities ranging from Chinese language development, tai chi and Chinese paper cutting.    

The teachers have been supported by the Learning and Teaching Scotland Confucius Institute and staff in each of the Confucius Classroom Hubs in settling in and familiarising themselves with the Scottish education system and in particular Curriculum for Excellence. They have been very impressed with both the staff and the pupils in Scotland. 

Our visit fully embraces the spirit of cultural exchange. We are all enjoying the weather, the way of life, the festivities and the varied aspects Scotland’s culture has to offer. Being so far away from home, we are sharing our own festivities with the Scottish communities and in return are experiencing the variety and wealth of all that Scotland has to offer. All eight of us even brought in the New Year in George Square in Glasgow!   

This is the first time a group of teachers has visited Scotland from Tianjin and our experience to date has been a very good one, strengthening partnership between China and Scotland.  

Liu Hongjie, Chinese Director, Learning and Teaching Scotland Confucius Institute

Confucius Hub Teachers: 

  1. Mrs Zhang Xiucheng in the North East Hub, which covers Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Moray and Angus, from the Haihe High School 
  2. Mr Li Naisong works across East, North and South Ayrshire which form the Ayrshire Hub and is from the Xinhua High School in Tianjin 
  3. Ms Chen Yan is supporting the development of Chinese language and culture in the Perth and Kinross Hub and is a history teacher in Tianjin High School, affiliated with Beijing Normal University
  4. Mr Liang Zheng, originally from Inner Mongolia, is working in the North Lanarkshire Hub. He teaches English in Tianjin High School  
  5. The City of Glasgow Confucius Classroom Hub is the base for Mrs Cui Hongqian who is a teacher from Tianjin High School which is affiliated with Nankai University.  
  6. Mrs Fang Weifang from the No. 42 High School is working in the East Dunbartonshire Hub.  
  7. Miss Liu Yan from the No. 41 High School in Tianjin is working in the West Lothian Confucius Classroom Hub.

Pictured: From left to right, Mrs Zhang Xiucheng, Tianjin teacher – North East, Ms Liu Yan, Tianjin teacher – West Lothian, Mr Iain Wilson, Development Officer – LTS Confucius Institute, Mrs Cui Hongqian, Tianjin teacher – Glasgow, Mrs Lin Fan, Manager, LTS Confucius Institute, Mrs Fang Weifang, Tianjin teacher – East Dunbartonshire, Professor Kay Livingston, Director – LTS Confucius Institute, Ms Chen Yan, Tianjin teacher – Perth & Kinross, Michael Russell – Education Secretary, Mr Liu Hongjie, Chinese Director – LTS Confucius Institute, Mr Liang Zheng, Tianjin teacher – North Lanarkshire, Mr Li Naisong, Tianjin teacher, Ayrshire.