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½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ Confucius Institute co-hosts first China-Malta Education and Cultural Exchange Forum

On 11 June 2026, the first China–Malta Education and Cultural Cooperation Exchange Forum was held on at The Phoenicia in Valletta, timed to coincide with the . Themed Strengthening Educational Cooperation and Promoting Mutual Learning between Civilisations, the event was jointly organised by the and the Confucius Institute at the University of Malta (½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ).

The event brought together around 50 representatives from the Maltese and Chinese education sectors to discuss the development of Chinese-language education in Malta, bilateral educational cooperation, and future opportunities for cultural exchange.

The Chinese Ambassador to Malta, H.E. Zhang Zuo, attended the conference and delivered a keynote address. He noted that educational cooperation has played a vital role in strengthening China–Malta friendship, creating platforms for youth exchanges, fostering mutual understanding, and supporting the development of both countries. Ambassador Zhang expressed his hope that both nations would continue to unlock the potential of educational cooperation, carry forward their traditional friendship, and promote mutual learning.

Prof. Dennis Mizzi, Maltese Director of the Confucius Institute at the ½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ, highlighted the undergraduate programme in Chinese as a vital bridge connecting Malta and China. Offered by the Department of Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures with the support of the Confucius Institute, the programme trains students to develop essential intercultural competencies through a rigorous study of Chinese language, literature, history, and culture. Emphasising that combining formal education with immersive cultural experience is the most effective way to foster a genuine dialogue among civilizations, Prof. Mizzi also underscored the Confucius Institute’s ongoing efforts in organizing cultural exchange programmes and facilitating study opportunities in China.

Other speakers shared key updates on the local educational landscape, beginning with Prof. Sandro Caruana (Department of Language and Humanities Education within the Faculty of Education), who highlighted the strategic importance of developing a Master in Teaching and Learning (MTL) in Chinese to train local teachers and address the slow but steadily increasing demand across government, independent, and church schools. Valuable insights on the current status of Chinese-language education within these sectors were shared by Dr Alice Micallef (Director of Youth, Languages, and Humanities within Malta’s Ministry for Education), Ms Tania Gauci Fenech (Assistant Head of School at San Anton School), and Ms Antoinette Zammit Bugeja (Subject Coordinator for Foreign Languages at the Ä .F. Abela Junior College). Ms Monique Mallia (International Office) presented an overview of student and staff mobility, alongside ongoing research collaborations between ½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ and various Chinese universities. Finally, Ms Marie Claire Aquilina (St Clare’s College Pembroke Secondary School) shared her experience as a local Chinese-language teacher and how a recent trip to China has actively informed her pedagogy.

The forum successfully showcased the practical achievements of China-Malta cooperation in language education, while laying a solid foundation for further bilateral collaboration in the years ahead.