BNU graduates of KLC International Institute (KLCII) marked the 120th anniversary of their alma mater on 18 June 2022 with a flag-signing ceremony together with other members of the Singapore BNU alumni.
The signing ceremony, held at the Marina Bay Sands on 18 June, was led by Guest of Honour, Education Chancellor Kang Kai from the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Singapore. Other VIP guests who signed after him include Mdm Feng Yu Shan, President of the BNU Singapore Alumni, Mr Chua Ying Hwee, Principal of KLCII and Dr Chen Shi, Vice Principal; KLCII. The flag signing was followed by a cake cutting ceremony.
In support of the Singapore-BNU alumni, KLCII helped in organising the flag-signing event. The signed flag will be returned to BNU in Beijing to be featured in the University’s official celebration on 8 September 2022. KCLII has also produced a video showing its alumni sending personal greetings and warm wishes for the continuing success of their alma mater.
Chancellor Kang Kai, in his speech said he looked forward to continuing efforts by the Singapore BNU Association to promote China-Singapore friendship and contribute to the cooperative partnership between the two countries. He also urged the alumni to keep in mind and practise the school motto, “Learn to be an Excellent Teacher; Act as an Exemplary Person”.
Speaking after him, Professor Chen of BNU China Alumni told the gathering of over 100 Singapore alumni that BNU has plans to build BNU into a world first-class university by the middle of this century.
KLCII’s BNU alumni, comprising both diploma and degree graduates, is about 700 strong. They have been officially registered as overseas alumni of the University since 2018. Dr Chen Shi, Vice Principal for KLCII’s Chinese Programmes, a BNU China graduate herself became the first foreign institute representative to be elected into the section’s committee in 2017.
KLCII’s partnership with BNU began in May 1995, when it launched the first of its kind joint KLC-BNU Diploma in Chinese Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE) to meet the demand from local Chinese preschool teachers seeking a professional diploma certification. BNU’s Chinese Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education was launched in Singapore by KLCII in 2018 for further advancement of Chinese preschool teachers in Singapore
The two programmes continue to be the first overseas collaboration outside China by BNU for early childhood (EC) teacher training. To date, it is still the only ones approved by China’s Ministry of Education.
KLCII has continued to collaborate with BNU actively in various areas over the years. KLCII has periodically invited EC experts and subject specialists from the University to speak at seminars and workshops for preschool teachers and administrators here. Similarly, BNU has also invited Dr Chen Shi to share her views and experience at its conferences and seminars in China.
More recently, Dr Chen Shi was invited by BNU’s School of Continuing Education and Teacher Training to join a team of EC experts in China to design and develop an advanced training programme for outstanding preschool principals. The intensive training programme was launched in China in mid-April 2022.