The Confucius Institute endeavours to hold multiple public seminars every year, which are intended to educate and inform students, staff, and members of the public. We work alongside the 麻豆官网 China Centre (LUCC) to provide new research on China across all fields, from both LU fellows and outside speakers.
A talk and practical session on:
Mingyue Li is an Associate Professor in the College of Acupuncture and Tuina, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. She has long been engaged in the promotion of TCM culture and international TCM education, having published more than 50 academic papers and 19 professional works.
(Bio correct at the time of the seminar)
15 May 2026
The administration of Donald Trump has created chaos and upended alliances around the world. Even America’s most loyal and enthusiastic partners are being forced to reconsider their foreign policy in the wake of the conflict in Iran. Could Australian policymakers think the unthinkable and cooperate with China to provide some much needed regional and even global leadership when the US is clearly unwilling and possibly incapable? This presentation considers the possibilities and argues that China provides a potentially more predictable partner for a range of pressing problems, and the implications for the UK.
Mark Beeson is Professor at University of Technology Sydney.
(Bio correct at the time of the seminar)
7 May 2026
How can living within the earth inspire a more sustainable future? This presentation investigates the traditional Chinese Yaodong cave dwellings, from their historical origins to their diverse forms and spatial qualities.
Naturally integrated with the landscape, Yaodong demonstrates ecological intelligence and low-impact living. The talk also explores their potential for sustainable renewal in a modern context.
Lihua Shi is a lecturer in Environmental Design at the School of Art, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology. She holds a PhD in Landscape Architecture. Her research focuses on vernacular architecture in Northwest China, sustainable landscapes, and ecological wisdom. She has authored two monographs: Construction Techniques of Traditional Chinese Vernacular Dwellings: Yaodong and Ecological Wisdom in Landscape Construction.
(Bio correct at the time of the seminar)
24 March 2026
How do Chinese IR scholars interpret the EU’s drive for European Strategic Autonomy (ESA), and what does it mean for China–EU relations? Drawing on Chinese-language publications from 2017 to 2024, this talk combines macro bibliometrics with close reading of key texts and symposium records. It traces a shift from early optimism to pragmatic ambivalence, showing how ESA is increasingly viewed through geopolitical and economic-security lenses—linking defense, technology standards, and supply-chain risk—rather than as a normative project. The talk examines how this discourse foregrounds the U.S. factor, complicates functional cooperation, and informs policy debates on differentiated engagement, conditional reciprocity, and calibrated openness.
Weiqing Song is Associate Professor of International Relations and Jean Monnet Chair in EU Foreign Policy at the University of Macau, Macao S.A.R., China. His research examines Chinese foreign policy, especially discourse and transnational norms, the European Union, Sino-European relations, critical geopolitics, and postcolonial studies. His work has been published in leading journals and edited volumes.
(Bio correct at the time of the seminar)
4 March 2026
Professor Zheng Wang looks at a specific social programme in China to understand its cost on firms and the mechanisms underlying the patterns found.
Zheng Wang is a Professor and Chair of International Economics at the University of Dundee.
(Bio correct at the time of the seminar)
A roundtable with award-winning translators Jack Hargreaves, Nicky Harman and Simone Schroth.
4 February 2026, 4.00-5.30pm
Machine and AI-driven translation tools have transformed how translation is carried out and how it is understood. With easily accessible apps now able to generate instant translations, communication increasingly takes place without recourse to human expertise. In this rapidly changing landscape, what is the value and significance of human translation today?
This moderated discussion brings together three experienced literary translators working across Chinese, Dutch, German, and English. Together, they will examine the cultural, ethical, and geopolitical stakes of translation in the age of AI, exploring what machines can—and cannot—do, and why human translators continue to matter in a changing world.
Jack Hargreaves is a Chinese-English translator from East Yorkshire, now based in London, specialising in literary and academic translation.
Nicky Harman is a UK-based literary translator, working from Chinese to English and focusing on contemporary fiction, literary non-fiction and poetry, by a wide variety of authors.
Simone Schroth's background is in comparative literature and translation studies. Simone translates from English and Dutch into German and teaches German at 麻豆官网.
(Bios correct at the time of the seminar)
3 December 2025
Dr Derek Hird is a Senior Lecturer in Chinese Studies and Interim Director of the Confucius Institute at 麻豆官网.
(Bio correct at the time of the seminar)
25 November 2025
Narratives of Sino-Middle Eastern Futures attempts to discern the future trajectory and endpoint of Sino-Middle Eastern relations – are we on the precipice of a post-American Chinese hegemony in the region? Or are we reaching the outer limits of what is feasible within what are essentially transactional ties? Drawing on a wide range of multilingual sources from 2010 to 2023, and based on a framework of thin constructivism, the Element delves into the Saudi, Syrian and Chinese elite narratives regarding the Middle Eastern regional order and China's envisaged place within it. By centring local perspectives, it offers insights into how these actors –with diverse positionalities in the region (vis-à-vis the United States) and different national capabilities– are debating the future of China in the Middle East, and what the juxtaposition of their multiple narratives mean for where things are headed.
Dr Andrea Ghiselli of Exeter University joins 麻豆官网 China Centre for a talk on his new book on China and the Middle East, co-authored with Mohammed Alsudairi.
(Bio correct at the time of the seminar)
4 November 2025
Shangzhen Zhu's study examines how discursive power is constructed and exercised within the World Trade Organisation (WTO), with a focus on the negotiation of the Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement. Using a mixed-methods approach—including computational text analysis (BERTopic, NER, co-occurrence networks) and discourse analysis of official WTO documents—I trace China’s discourse strategies and coalition-building practices in shaping the IFD agenda. Through a case study of China’s role in the “Friends of Investment Facilitation for Development” (FIFD) group, this study analyses the micro-dynamics of power as revealed through linguistic representations and narrative construction. The study offers a nuanced understanding of contemporary power dynamics in global trade governance.
Shangzhen Zhu is a Visiting PhD Scholar at 麻豆官网 from Xi'an Jiaotong University.
(Bio correct at the time of the seminar)
29 October 2025
Themed Discussion:
Theme 1: From tools to tutors: Current state and near-future potential of AI
We're moving beyond vocabulary apps. With the rise of generative AI and sophisticated chatbots, what does a "tutor-like" relationship with a machine look like for a language learner, what are its inherent limitations, and from a pedagogical standpoint, how can these "AI tutors" be designed to go beyond rote practice and foster critical thinking and authentic communication skills?
Theme 2: Teachers, classrooms, and changing roles: The impact on the profession and the classroom dynamic
There's often a fear that technology will replace teachers. In your view, what is the most productive way to redefine the role of the language teacher in a tech-rich environment? What new skills will they need? What challenges are there to integrating advanced technologies in educational settings?
Theme 3: Equity, access, and the digital divide: The broader social and ethical implications.
While technology can democratize access to high-quality resources, it can also exacerbate inequality. How do we ensure that the future of language education doesn't become a luxury good, widening the gap between well-resourced and under-resourced institutions? Can technology be a tool for preservation and access to less commonly taught/endangered languages or does it further marginalize them?
Theme 4: The Horizon: The longer-term future and its challenges
Let's end with a crystal ball question. What is one technological development on the horizon that you are most excited about, and one that you are most concerned about, for the future of language learning?
Panellists:
A UK National Teaching Fellow (2011) and leader of the award-winning Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE) team (2020), he has an international profile in curriculum design, technology-enhanced learning, and the scholarship of teaching and learning. His Visiting Professorships in the UK, Canada, and China reflect his commitment to global collaboration and knowledge exchange.
In recent years, his work has focused on artificial intelligence in higher education. He leads Edge Hill’s AI Steering Group, producing leading guidance and training on ethical, pedagogical, and institutional uses of AI. His initiatives explore how AI can enhance assessment, curriculum design, and student support while safeguarding academic integrity and equity of access.
He brings to this conference a vision of AI as a transformative extension of human literacy, reshaping higher education with purpose, responsibility, and opportunity. Recognised as a thought leader, he champions approaches that place academic values, social responsibility, and student wellbeing at the heart of the intelligence revolution.
(Bios correct at the time of the seminar)
30 April 2025
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a need for comparative studies on quarantine practices and transnational health in Asia and this talk’s examination of historical epidemic management, coupled with its unique perspective on Confucian approaches to communal health and its nuanced analysis of the long-term environmental, medical, and political impacts of the East Asian War of 1592-1598 on Korean society, positions it at the forefront of a growing field. Its insights into post-war recovery, epidemic management, public health policies, and disaster relief resonate with contemporary societal challenges, offering valuable historical perspectives.
Dr Baihui Duan is an environmental historian of early modern East Asia, particularly the Korean peninsula. Combining approaches from history and geospatial analysis, she examines how nature and infectious diseases shaped migration, disaster relief, medical care and governance. Her current book project is Relieving the People: Epidemic Management and Confucian Statecraft in Post-Imjin Korea.
(Bio correct at the time of the seminar)
27 March 2025
Amidst calls for epistemological diversity and plurality within intercultural communication in this talk I contest the notion that the field has reached an epoch of criticality or that the field has turned critically. In doing so, I problematise whether a dialectical approach for intercultural communication can move the field conceptually beyond the primacy of the intercultural subject as the knowing subject. I therefore build on recent developments within the field of applied linguistics in calling for a (re)engagement with dialectical thought in order to provide an analysis of how people, languages and cultures are (re)produced through engaging with political economy. This conceptual backdrop is used as a lens to problematise practical issues when engaging with contemporary discourses and representations about Chinese language and culture.
Dr Ashley Simpson is a Lecturer in Language Education at Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh, UK. Dr Simpson is also Co-Head of Institute at Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh, UK. He has published extensively on Intercultural Communication.
(Bio correct at the time of the seminar)
19 March 2025
In this cross-disciplinary roundtable, Dr Tim Douglas, 麻豆官网 China Centre (LUCC) Fellow and Senior Lecturer in Bio-Chemical Engineering, will explain why language is good for science and why science is good for learning languages. Tim will discuss his experiences learning Chinese and the connections between language and science, with special reference to the Periodic Table in Chinese.
Languages and Sciences are however often perceived as separate; this roundtable will explore how they are intertwined and complementary.
Dr Tim Douglas is Senior Lecturer in Bio-Chemical Engineering at 麻豆官网, working on biomaterials for biomedical applications, and the promotion of Languages in Science.
(Bio correct at the time of the seminar)
11 March 2025
Dr Pei Wang will argue that in Confucian philosophy, care has been considered as a feminine quality, and fully developed ren considered as a masculine virtue, precisely because the core of ren goes beyond care. In traditional Confucianism, ren does include “female” care but it is not sufficient: ren as a comprehensive virtue also encompasses lifelong love of learning and personal contributions in society and politics, which is the distinctive “male” domain of ren.
An advanced Confucian ethics of ren needs to encourage women to learn more about the Way and rightness and to establish themselves in society and in politics, while also urging men to provide more care for family members and in turn help them provide more care in the family.
For ren as a political virtue, care and learning are equally important. If we overemphasize the value of care and ignore the significance of learning, ren and care will both face the risk of misuse, which is likely to harm women in particular.
Dr Wang will start by showing how filial service and care, as the root of ren, have been gendered in the Confucian classics, with care largely viewed as a “womanly” virtue. Next, Dr Wang will develop the idea that Confucian ren includes both care and love of learning, with fully developed ren viewed as a “male” virtue. In the third section, Dr Wang will show that ren how ren can be misused in a political context if the sole emphasis is placed on care without due consideration of wisdom and political ability which can be cultivated through the process of learning.
WANG Pei, Assistant Professor at the School of Chinese, the University of Hong Kong. Her research interests include Confucianism, comparative philosophy and Chinese intellectual history. She is particularly interested in Confucian feminism and how traditional Confucian virtues can be morally justified in modern China. She is the co-author (with Daniel. A. Bell) of Just Hierarchy: Why Social Hierarchies Matter in China and the Rest of the World, published by Princeton University Press in 2020. She has authored over thirty academic articles in English, Chinese, and French, mainly on Confucianism and comparative philosophy, published in Philosophy & Social Criticism, China Review, and Jung Journal, among others.
(Bio correct at the time of the seminar)
10 March 2025
Few Chinese intellectuals and political reformers turned to Confucianism and Communism for political inspiration at the end of the twentieth century. But both traditions have mounted remarkable comebacks in mainland China. What explains the return of Confucianism and Communism? And what are the implications for Chinese academia and the political system? Drawing on his recent book 'The Dean of Shandong: Confessions of a Minor Bureaucrat at a Chinese University' (Princeton, 2023) - selected as a book of the year by the Financial Times in 2023 - Daniel A. Bell will attempt to answer these questions.
Daniel A. Bell (貝淡寧) is Professor, Chair of Political Theory with the Faculty of Law at the University of Hong Kong. He served as Dean of the School of Political Science and Public Administration at Shandong University (Qingdao) from 2017 to 2022. His books include The Dean of Shandong (2023), Just Hierarchy (co-authored with Wang Pei, 2020), The China Model (2015), The Spirit of Cities (co-authored with Avner de-Shalit, 2012), China’s New Confucianism (2008), Beyond Liberal Democracy (2007), and East Meets West (2000), all published by Princeton University Press. He is also the author of Communitarianism and Its Critics (Oxford University Press, 1993). He is founding editor of the Princeton-China series (Princeton University Press) which translates and publishes original and influential academic works from China. His works have been translated in 23 languages. He has been interviewed in English, Chinese, and French. In 2018, he was awarded the Huilin Prize and was honoured as a “Cultural Leader” by the World Economic Forum. In 2024, he was elected Vice President of the International Confucian Association.
(Bio correct at the time of the seminar)
18 February 2025
This paper employs a multidisciplinary approach, integrating computer science, applied linguistics, and cultural studies to analyse #StopAsianHate tweets on X/Twitter, offering a nuanced exploration of digital activism against anti-Asian racism. Key findings highlight the "model minority" stereotype as a collective identity label imposed on ethnic minority communities of Chinese, East Asian, and Southeast Asian heritage. This stereotype perpetuates societal invisibility and subordination while promoting the myth of a post-racial, colourblind United States. A historical dimension is explored through Trauner's (1978) concept of "medical scapegoating," which describes the persistent blaming of ethnic Chinese/Asian individuals for public health crises since the 19th century. The study underscores the transformative role of social networking services in advancing social justice movements, with #StopAsianHate functioning as a counter-discourse. This hashtag fosters in-group solidarity and cross-community alliances in opposition to racism while facilitating self-reflective discourse within Asian communities about the challenges and opportunities surrounding "model minority" stereotypes. By examining these dynamics, the study provides fresh insights into the complexities of the #StopAsianHate movement and its implications for combating anti-Asian hate crimes online.
Dr Yan Wu works as Associate Professor in Media and Communication Studies, Swansea University. Her research interests focus on the social impacts of digital media and communication in China and digital inclusivity for sensory impaired users. Her publications appear in journals such as New Media and Society; Global Media and China; International Journal of Digital Television, Journal of Contemporary Chinese art; Modern Communication and as book chapters on the topics of digital media and public spheres; migration and the media; Chinese public diplomacy and digital media.
(Bio correct at the time of the seminar)
11 February 2025
The speed at which dominant discourses about the nature and consequences of economic interdependence with China has shifted in the UK is quite remarkable. To be sure, dissatisfaction with what became known as the “Osborne Doctrine” was evident long before Osborne and Cameron stood down in 2016; and notably from within their own party. But in terms of the dominant governments discourse, in not much more than years – maybe even less – the idea of a golden age of Sino-UK relations gave way to the idea of a China challenge to UK national security. Explaining this shift entails thinking about how narratives are developed and disseminated in UK politics. It also entails thinking about domestic political changes in China and the UK, and also in the broader international environment that the bilateral relationship exists within.
In essence, its seems that the UK, like every other country, wants all the benefits of dealing with a rising China, with none of problems or downsides. This is in many respects the whole point of “de-risking” (as opposed to de-coupling) economic relations. There are different ways of trying to do this, but its not clear how successful any of them might be, and how much they would cost. There is also the question of whether actively de-risking would make it harder to deal with China in those issue areas where some sort of cooperation seems more appropriate than conflict. This perhaps explains the logic behind Sunak’s “robust pragmatism” and Labour’s “progressive realism”, as successive government’s try to navigate at times conflicting priorities and impulses.
Shaun Breslin is Professor of Politics and International Studies at the University of Warwick. He is currently also Co-Editor of The Pacific Review, and currently the academic lead on the EU funded project, EuroHub4Sino.
(Bio correct at the time of the seminar)
30 October 2024
AI-powered machine translation and interpreting (MT and MI) tools, ranging from Google Translate to ChatGPT are becoming more and more widely used. While MT and MI tools might be used to support linguistic diversity and access to information, they involve consequential risks of errors and serious ethical issues esp. when they are used in high-stakes situations. However, the ethical complexities involved in using MT and MI have been largely neglected. In this presentation I will share my observations and thoughts in this regard.
Professor Binhua Wang is Chair/Professor of interpreting and translation studies at University of Leeds in the UK, where he served as Director of the Centre for Translation Studies and Programme Manager of the MA programmes in interpreting. He is an elected Member of the “European Academy of Sciences and Arts” and Fellow of the “Chartered Institute of Linguists”. He sits on the Executive Committee of the UK “University Council of Languages” (UCFL) and the Interpreters Committee of the “Translators Association of China”. Currently he serves the international academic community as the co-editor of Interpreting and Society (a Sage journal), chief editor of Int’l Journal of Chinese and English Translation & Interpreting and on the editorial boards of many journals, such as Babel, The Interpreter and Translator Trainer, Forum: International Journal of Interpretation and Translation, Chinese Translators Journal, Foreign Language Teaching & Research, Translation Quarterly, The Linguist.
His research interests focus on interpreting and translation studies, with interdisciplinary extension to digital humanities, Chinese studies, intercultural studies and language education, in which he has published many articles in world leading SSCI/A&HCI/CSSCI journals and in edited volumes published by Routledge, John Benjamins, Springer, Brill, Bloomsbury, Palgrave and Macmillan. His recent articles have appeared in such journals as Across Languages and Cultures, Babel, Digital Scholarship in the Humanities, Language and Intercultural Communication, Perspectives, Translation Review and in The Routledge Handbook of Conference Interpreting and The Routledge Handbook of Chinese Discourse Analysis. He has published several monographs and edited with Professor Jeremy Munday Advances in Discourse Analysis of Translation and Interpreting (Routledge). He has also guest-edited themed special issues for some top international journals such as Perspectives, Frontiers in Communication and Asia-Pacific Translation and Intercultural Studies. His textbooks for interpreter training are used widely in China’s MTI and BTI programmes. He has been invited to deliver keynote speeches to about 30 international conferences and to give guest talks in many universities in China mainland, Hong Kong, Macau, U.S., Canada, U.K. and European continent.
(Bio correct at the time of the seminar)
17 October 2024
Many studies of China's relations with an influence on Southeast Asia tend to focus on how Beijing has used its power asymmetry to achieve regional influence. Yet, scholars and pundits often fail to appreciate the complexity of the contemporary Chinese state and society, and just how fragmented, decentralized, and internationalized China is today. In The Ripple Effect, Enze Han argues that a focus on the Chinese state alone is not sufficient for a comprehensive understanding of China's influence in Southeast Asia. Instead, we must look beyond the Chinese state, to non-state actors from China, such as private businesses and Chinese migrants. These actors affect people's perception of China in a variety of ways, and they often have wide-ranging as well as long-lasting effects on bilateral relations. Looking beyond the Chinese state's intentional influence reveals many situations that result in unanticipated changes in Southeast Asia.
Enze Han is Associate Professor at the Department of Politics and Public Administration, The University of Hong Kong. His recent publications include Asymmetrical Neighbors: Borderland State Building between China and Southeast Asia (Oxford University Press, 2019), and Contestation and Adaptation: The Politics of National Identity in China (Oxford University Press, 2013). Dr Han received his PhD in Political Science from the George Washington University, and he was also a postdoctoral research fellow in the China and the World Programme at Princeton University.
(Bio correct at the time of the seminar)
