STORY: University of Zagreb to confer sinology major degrees
SHOOTING TIME: March 27, 2024
DATELINE: March 28, 2024
LENGTH: 00:03:17
LOCATION: Zagreb
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the launching ceremony
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): QI QIANJIN, Chinese Ambassador to Croatia
3. various of the launching ceremony
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Croatian): DOMAGOJ TONCINIC, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Zagreb
5. various of the launching ceremony
6. SOUNDBITE 3 (Croatian): IVANA BULJAN, Head of the Department of Sinology at the University of Zagreb
7. various of the launching ceremony

STORYLINE:

The University of Zagreb has elevated the minor in sinology to a major to become the first institution of higher education in Croatia to confer degrees in sinology.

Qi Qianjin, Chinese ambassador to Croatia, and Tomislav Bolanca, vice rector of the university, attended a launching ceremony Wednesday at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the university.

Addressing the ceremony, Qi said the elevation of sinology study in Croatia is of "historical importance."

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): QI QIANJIN, Chinese Ambassador to Croatia
"I think today's opening has more meanings. First, it demonstrated that sinology studies in Croatia have reached a new level. In the last 20 years, many Croatians devoted themselves to teaching and learning the Chinese language, as well as Chinese art, literature and else. So today, with development and more exchanges between China and Croatia, I think sinology studies as well, there will be high demands for Croatians to learn and to study Chinese."

"This development enriches the opportunities and choices for both teachers and students in the field of sinology. It also reflects the increasing demand for talents in sinology in the Croatian society and market as China-Croatia exchanges and cooperation are growing," he said.

"We look forward to a fruitful enrolment for the program this year, with more young students eagerly signing up to study, contributing to the research of sinology and the dissemination of the Chinese culture, and the development of China-Croatia relationship," he added.

Domagoj Toncinic, dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, called the degree program of sinology major "one step further."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Croatian): DOMAGOJ TONCINIC, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Zagreb
"This is only one step further in a tradition that lasts much longer. Since the 1970s we have had lectures in the Chinese language.
Since the academic year 2004/2005 there has been a sinology study as a free study and now we have it as a regular study, the only such in Croatia."

SOUNDBITE 3 (Croatian): IVANA BULJAN, Head of the Department of Sinology at the University of Zagreb
"We hope that the development of sinology will lead to the intercultural exchanges between Croatia and China, and that our experts will play an important role in imparting knowledge and skills from China, and promote Croatian culture in China."

Over the past two decades since the faculty began to introduce a minor in sinology in 2004, Chinese courses in linguistics, Chinese history, art, literature and philosophy have been offered, attracting 30-40 students each year on average.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Zagreb.
(XHTV)