Beijing Summer Chinese Language Programs Speech Competition Returns After Five-Year Hiatus

After a five-year hiatus due to the global pandemic, the annual Beijing Summer Chinese Language Programs Speech Competition is back.

First launched in the summer of 2005, the contest was initiated by faculty from several North American university summer programs in Beijing, including the Harvard Beijing Academy (HBA), Princeton in Beijing (PIB), and Columbia University’s summer Chinese program. At a time when educational exchange between China and the US was thriving, program directors from various institutions in the Beijing-Tianjin region came together to establish a rotating hosting system, transforming the contest into a key platform for showcasing students’ progress in the Chinese language. The event ran for 15 consecutive years before being suspended in 2020 due to the pandemic.

While participating schools switched to online Chinese instruction during the pandemic, they continued to look forward to the return of in-person activities. Hosted by the Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies (IUP) at Tsinghua University’s Chinese Center, this year’s contest features more than 40 students from IUP, CET Academic Programs, and Princeton in Beijing (PIB).

The World of Chinese has also set up a booth at the contest venue to give away copies of our award-winning magazine, which covers Chinese society and culture. Contest winners will receive the latest issue as a special gift.

This year’s revival not only marks a milestone in students’ language learning but also represents a meaningful step toward promoting educational and cultural exchange between China and the U.S.

北美高校在京项目演讲比赛始于2005年夏季，由哈佛北京书院（HBA）、普林斯顿大学暑期北京中文培训班（PIB）、哥伦比亚大学暑期班等北美高校暑期项目的负责老师联合发起，京津地区多个项目共同参与。当时正值中美教育交流快速发展的黄金时期，各校项目主任达成共识，决定建立轮值主办机制，将演讲比赛打造为展示学生中文学习成果的重要平台。2020年因全球疫情爆发，这一延续15年的传统被迫中断。期间各校转为线上汉语教学，但始终保留着恢复实体活动的期待。此次重启演讲比赛，既是对学生学习成果的阶段性总结，也是推动中美教育文化交流的重要举措。