Megumi Suzuki

Thompson Rivers University international student Megumi Suzuki will spend the month of August perfecting her Chinese language skills at Fudan University in Shanghai.

Suzuki won the prestigious scholarship from the Chinese Language Council International (Hanban) in Beijing, after participating in last fall’s Chinese Proficiency Test, also known as the Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK), at TRU.

An arts student from Fukushima, Japan, Suzuki earned a Basic Level A Chinese Proficiency Certificate. She had studied English in Japan, and for two semesters in TRU’s English Second Language program, before taking a few classes in Mandarin at the university and through the Kamloops Chinese Cultural Association.

It’s just as well that the 26-year-old will spend a few days at home in Fukusima before arriving in Shanghai as she says she’s a little nervous about speaking only Chinese for a whole month. “My international student friends are helping me practice before I go,” Suzuki said, noting that it’s been awhile since she took the language classes.
“I am looking forward to the shopping and having food that is served with rice and chopsticks though,” she said.

HSK is designed for speakers whose first language is not Chinese and is administered from 203 testing centres in 46 countries. Over 900,000 people from 120 countries and regions have taken the test. The certificates are recognized in many countries all over the world as a reference standard for those looking to work or study in China.

TRU is one of only six test centres in Canada and the only HSK test centre in the interior of BC, and has been hosting the Chinese Language Proficiency Test since 2003.

“HSK at TRU is organized by TRU World and TRU Assessment center,” said ZiPing Feng, International Student Advisor, “We are in the process of bringing on the YCT (Youth Chinese Test) to Kamloops this year later this year.

“This year’s HSK test will be held on Saturday, October 19, 2008. Everyone is welcome to participate into the HSK test.

To encourage Chinese language learners to participate in the proficiency test, Hanban has established a scholarship for those achieve outstanding results. The winner is granted a scholarship to study in China for one semester or one month respectively. Each year one scholarship will be awarded to a TRU student writing the HSK test.

Contact: ZiPing Feng, International Student Advisor, (p) 250.371-5875
Website: www.tru.ca/hsk