College of Humanities

The Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages China Activities​
 

The Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages has been involved in China since its first study abroad program was established at Nanjing University in 1984 under the guidance of Professor Gary Williams. Current professor of Chinese and Flagship director, Matthew Christensen, was an undergraduate student in that initial program.

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Building on the long relationship with Nanjing University a BYU-led center was established in 2003 to serve a national consortium of the National Language Flagship Program (https://www.thelanguageflagship.org), which now serves 12 affiliates throughout the US (https://www.thelanguageflagship.org/content/chinese). BYU’s own Flagship program’s (http://chineseflagship.byu.edu/) overseas activities are headquartered at highly ranked (top five) Nanjing University as well

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In addition to study abroad, both BYU’s regular Chinese program and its Flagship program places interns throughout China, including in full professional placements at law offices, business, labs, and other locations.  

 

For a decade, the Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages has sent students to compete in the national China Bridge language competition at the University of Maryland where students have frequently place in the top three and have several times (including 2016) won first place. These top winners have been invited to participate in the international competition in Beijing. The department has also collaborated with BYU’s business school to field Chinese case competition teams, which regularly have taken the top prize.  The college of Humanities and Asian and Near Eastern Languages have facilitated other BYU exchanges and partnerships in China (e.g., Marriott  School of Business and the College of Engineering).