STORY: Chinese studies at Turkish university boost cultural diversity, job prospects
SHOOTING TIME: March 29, 2024
DATELINE: March 30, 2024
LENGTH: 00:04:32
LOCATION: Ankara
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the Chinese class at the University in Türkiye
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): ESMA ALKIN, Student at the Chinese Language and Literature Department, Ankara's Haci Bayram Veli University
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Turkish): ESMA ALKIN, Student at the Chinese Language and Literature Department, Ankara's Haci Bayram Veli University
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Turkish): CILE MADEN KALKAN, Deputy head of the Chinese Language and Literature Department, Ankara's Haci Bayram Veli University
5. SOUNDBITE 4 (Turkish): SELINAY ALTINTAS, Student at the Chinese Language and Literature Department, Ankara's Haci Bayram Veli University
6. SOUNDBITE 5 (Turkish): YUAN ZHANG, Chinese language teacher

STORYLINE:

In Ankara, the capital of Türkiye, the study of the Chinese language at Haci Bayram Veli University has opened doors to cultural enrichment and employment prospects in a country facing a tough job market.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): ESMA ALKIN, Student at the Chinese Language and Literature Department, Ankara's Haci Bayram Veli University
"For me, the prospect of employment is very promising, which is one of the primary reasons I opted for this department." 

Citing China's remarkable economic progress, Alkin expressed hope for robust employment prospects post-graduation.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Turkish): ESMA ALKIN, Student at the Chinese Language and Literature Department, Ankara's Haci Bayram Veli University
"As China's economic vigor is exceptional, I hope to get a good paying employment following graduation.
I got interested in China and its culture through social media.
Once you immerse yourself in this culture, you cannot get out. It is so deep and rich.
There are also similarities between Chinese and Turkish cultures as we lived on the same lands in the past."

The department, established just last year, has seen a spike in student interest, said Assistant Professor Cile Maden Kalkan, also the department's deputy head. Kalkan noted a rise in inquiries from students, who were drawn to the curriculum and potential career opportunities, especially in the private sector.

This increased interest is part of a larger trend of cultural exchange between Türkiye and China, Kalkan observed. She pointed out that China's economic advancements and global initiatives have created significant opportunities for Türkiye, sparking a surge in enthusiasm for learning about the Chinese language and culture.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Turkish): CILE MADEN KALKAN, Deputy head of the Chinese Language and Literature Department, Ankara's Haci Bayram Veli University
"We have currently 30 students in our department for a curriculum of four years. 
We constantly receive an increasing number of emails from potential students who want to inquire about our department. 
Many students see a big potential for job prospects in the private sector." 

Selinay Altintas, another freshman, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the vast opportunities that await those proficient in Chinese language and culture. Attracted by Chinese dance and cuisine, Altintas said she aimed to delve into China's cultural richness by continuing her studies in China.

SOUNDBITE 4 (Turkish): SELINAY ALTINTAS, Student at the Chinese Language and Literature Department, Ankara's Haci Bayram Veli University
"I love the Chinese writing characters. It is so artistic. 
I was very attracted by the Chinese dance culture that I saw on social media, their fan dances, and lion dances. 
I would like to advance in this field and do academic research. 
I would like to pursue my studies in China if I have the opportunity. I would like to stay there and learn their culture and language. This would be very satisfying for me.
I would like to live there for a long time." 

Against the backdrop of Türkiye's economic challenges, mastering the Chinese language emerges as a strategic advantage in the fiercely competitive job market, Alkin noted.

Yuan Zhang, an instructor at the department, highlighted the exponential growth in academic exchanges between Türkiye and China, underscoring the increasing mutual interest in each other's language and culture.

SOUNDBITE 5 (Turkish): YUAN ZHANG, Chinese language teacher
"I hope that my students will find jobs that will satisfy them after graduation. 
As the political and economic relations between the two countries are getting pace, so is the interest in China, and its culture is growing in Türkiye.
When I first came to Türkiye there was not such a wide academic interest nor student exchange programs, but now every year there is a growing number of Turkish students invited to China to continue their studies there."

With the establishment of the China-Türkiye strategic cooperative relationship in 2010, economic and cultural cooperation between the two nations has flourished. The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative has also become a medium of extensive multilateral cooperation between the two sides.

The Chinese Language and Literature Department is "100 percent full now," said Giray Fidan, a Turkish expert in Chinese language and history based at the university.

"This shows how much interest there is in Türkiye towards learning Chinese and discovering its history and culture," the scholar said.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Ankara.
(XHTV)