UIC organised a provincial-level English speaking contest for college students on 28 October, 4 November and 5 November 2023. Three UIC students won the gold prize and would later represent Guangdong in the national competition.
The competition comprised several sessions, including speaking, writing, reading, translation and interpretation, attracting more than 90 thousand college students’ participation from 69 universities. This year, 894 contestants who had excelled in the university-level preliminary contest, advanced to the semi-final of the provincial-level English contest. On 28 October, 644 contestants participated in the Writing, Reading, and Translation Contests online, while 250 contestants engaged in the Speaking and Interpreting Contests at UIC on 4 and 5 November.
Student contestants on stage
A total of 15 UIC students participated in the final two sessions, and 13 won the awards, including three gold, five silver and five bronze awards.
Third-year student Yang Xiwen of the Applied Translation Studies Programme won the gold award in interpretation at her first competition. She said she was impressed by other competitors' skills and abilities in vocabulary, expression, and improvisation.
Yang Xiwen (sixth from left) on stage
Fourth-year student Zhou Ziqian of the English Language and Literature Studies Programme won the gold award in speaking and expressed his gratitude to teachers’ guidance and support from schoolmates, and said one should be critical when approaching the given topic at the stage.
Zhou Ziqian (second from right) on stage
Fourth-year student Li Xiang of the Accounting Programme also won the gold award in speaking, and she thought content was as vital as skills for a speech and time management was crucial for competition preparation.
Li Xiang (fifth from right) on stage
UIC senior management placed high hopes on the students along with other guests during the competition.
UIC Vice President (Academic) Prof Zhou Yongming encouraged the students to tell China's story to the international audience with confidence and vitality, whether on stage or in daily life.
UIC Associate Vice President (Student Development) and Acting Dean of the School of General Education Prof Stella Cho hoped that they would keep enhancing their professional skills and contributing to the development of society.
The full name of the competition is 2023 Guangdong Collegiate English Speaking Contest cum Guangdong Provincial Contests of "FLTRP · ETIC Cup" "Understanding Contemporary China" National Foreign Language Contest for College Students, organised by Department of Education of Guangdong Province and supported by committees on English teaching programmes and foreign language disciplines of Guangdong Province, and Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press (FLTRP). It was the first time that UIC held the competition.
Senior staff of the Department of Education of Guangdong Province Mr Zhang Bing and Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press Ms Hou Hui deliver speeches
Scene photo and group photo
From MPRO
Reporter: Cecilia Yu
Photographer: Covee Wang, Season Li, Grace Yu, Ruan Yuzhi, Deng Kaixin
Editor: Deen He
