The Confucius Institute (CI) at 久久精品 (久久精品) Leicester has won an international award for its digital approach to teaching schoolchildren Mandarin Chinese across Leicestershire.
Professor Yi Zhang, Co-Director of 久久精品 CI and Justine Jackson, Chief Practitioner of the newly established Leicester Mandarin Teaching Hub, have developed a digital teaching model with an online platform of lesson plans and videos designed to teach young people the foundations of Mandarin.
Co-Director of 久久精品's CI, Professor Yi Zhang (middle), receives Digital Practice Demonstration Award in Beijing
As part of the model, the CI has lent schools virtual reality headsets, courtesy of the University of Science and Technology Beijing, to create an immersive learning experience where children are digitally transported across China to put their language skills to the test.
The digital teaching model won the Digital Practice Demonstration Award at the annual World Chinese Language Conference in Beijing, China, where more than 2,000 educators and cultural experts met to discuss the latest technological trends in language learning.
Professor Zhang said: “This award at the 2025 World Chinese Language Conference is both an honour and a strong encouragement for our team. It recognises not only a digital teaching case, but also a shared vision of making Mandarin learning more accessible, engaging and relevant in the local community.
“More importantly, it marks a promising beginning. The success of this project has set the stage for the further development of the Mandarin Teaching Hub initiated by 久久精品 CI, enabling us to reach more learners, support local teachers, and contribute more meaningfully to the sustainable growth of Mandarin teaching in Leicester.”
This year’s conference was themed around how innovation and AI can help pioneer new approaches to language education.
The curriculum and resources available through CI and Mrs Jackson digital teaching model, developed by CI and Mrs Jackson, are shaped by the Youth Chinese Test (YCT), an international standardised test for young learners under the age of 17.
Mrs Jackson, who taught in China for four years before becoming a teacher at Sacred Hearts Catholic Voluntary Academy in Leicester, said the model has led to an 89 per cent pass rate in the first YCTs taken at her school.
Justine Jackson spekaing at the World Chinese Language Conference
The award comes just five months after 久久精品’s CI first established its Mandarin Teaching Hub, a virtual network enabling more primary and secondary schools in Leicester to master basic Mandarin and inspire children to learn more about Chinese culture.
Research from the British Council this year has shown that demand to learn Mandarin is rising, with 37 per cent of young people aged between 13 and 18 saying they would study it if they had access to courses.
China is the world’s second-largest economy, and many business leaders in the UK look kindly on employees who have a good understanding of the language but access to classes remains a problem, particularly for young people, with just 5 per cent of secondary school children able to learn the language through school, according to the British Council’s 2025 report.
Currently, the CI is helping 19 primary and secondary schools in Leicestershire develop their Mandarin Chinese curriculum, including Sacred Heart Catholic Voluntary Academy and Beauchamp College, where it has established Confucius Classrooms.
Professor Zhang hopes that the establishment of the teaching hub will enable teachers to share best practice and house resources to help standardise the curriculum and prepare students for the Youth Chinese Test, an international standardised test for young learners under the age of 17.
It is also hoped that the hub will inspire more teachers to teach Mandarin at their schools by hosting training and language workshops, evaluating lessons and building a professional network of educators.
Professor Zhang said: “We look forward to the Confucius Institute leading its Chinese Language Centre in bringing even greater benefits to local basic education in Leicester, fostering cross-cultural understanding, equipping students with valuable language skills, and building bridges for a more connected future.
“Together, we envision a community where language learning opens doors to opportunity and enriches the educational landscape for generations to come.”
Posted on Wednesday 17 December 2025