Student Friendship Programme

Enhancing the British and Chinese student experience.

Manchester is home to 9,000 students from China. Yet British and Chinese students live largely separate lives. As a result, they do not fully benefit from their shared presence on campus.

A common stereotype about Chinese people in the Anglophone world is that they are smart but standoffish. In this view, they neither need nor deserve help. This attitude can lead to both passive neglect and the active exclusion of Chinese communities.

MCI therefore works hard to create spaces where our Chinese students feel included and respected. Our Friendship Programme fosters mutual understanding and friendships between British and Chinese students at The University of Manchester, which is particularly important at a time when anti-Asian prejudice, discrimination, and even aggression has increased in the UK and around the world - and anti-Western sentiment has increased in China.

Inclusion is at the heart of the programme. Intercultural activities throughout the academic year provide opportunities for positive interactions between UK-based "host" students and newly arrived Chinese freshers. Student participants explore Manchester's heritage sites, discover foreign cultural celebrations, share traditional dishes, try out new sports, and get together for socials. Through these events, UoM British and Chinese students learn from one another, promoting an inclusive campus environment for all.