Past awardees

My name is Chiddy, and I am currently studying Business and Management with Chinese. I’m in my second year and am now preparing for my upcoming year abroad at Tsinghua University, starting this September. During my time there, I will continue to study the Chinese language, alongside humanities subjects from a Chinese cultural perspective.

I am immensely excited to begin this journey in Beijing. This opportunity will allow me to fully immerse myself in Chinese culture, not only by improving my language skills and learning more colloquial expressions but also by gaining rich cultural insights I would never be able to learn outside of China.

This travel grant will greatly ease the financial burden of going abroad. Because of this support, I will now be able to explore other provinces in China, deepening my cultural understanding. I also hope to visit neighbouring countries like South Korea or Japan, which I’ve always dreamed of experiencing firsthand.

By the end of my year abroad, I hope to have grown not only academically but also personally, having engaged with a multitude of different cultures, perspectives, and communities.

Starting in September, I will be travelling to Taipei to start my year abroad studying Chinese.

This reward will be of massive help to me, and will allow me to begin my journey!

I am looking forward to studying in Taiwan and immersing myself in the Taiwanese culture.

I hope to explore Taiwan and everything it has to offer as well as explore neighbouring countries too.

My name is Ying Zheng, 20, from London. I am currently studying MLBM (Chinese) and will be attending Zhejiang University in my 3rd year as an exchange student.

My academic background combines a strong interest in economic and global affairs but also the society of China.

To support my goals, I have taken the HSK 5 exam independently in hopes of joining classes typically reserved for local students.

My name is Alex Upward, and I am from the Isle of Sheppey in Kent. I'm currently studying BA Politics and Chinese at The University of Manchester and this year I will be starting my Residence Abroad study at Fudan University in Shanghai. 

I really enjoy learning languages, and after taking A-Levels in French and Spanish I decided to take on the new challenge of learning Chinese at university. 

I am really excited to begin my year abroad in Shanghai which undoubtedly improve my language skills. I am also looking forward to experiencing living in such a large and dynamic city, and exploring the rich culture that China has to offer. I am hoping to travel around China, and I would love to visit Chongqing, Harbin and Beijing amongst others. I also want to visit China's neighbouring countries. 

The Manchester China Institute Travel Award will definitely help me towards my travel plans, and I hope that my Residence Abroad will help me achieve a level of Chinese that I can confidently use in the workplace in the future.

My name is Blythe. I am currently studying Politics and Chinese as an undergraduate. This academic year I will study Mandarin at Fudan University in Shanghai. 

I hope to enhance my Mandarin proficiency, not only through study, but also through interactions with people in a wide set of circumstances. I am looking forward to studying abroad and seizing the opportunity to use Mandarin in my daily life. I hope to take the HSK 5 language exam at the end of the year abroad. 

My primary reason for studying in Shanghai is to experience the cities unique balance of Western and Chinese culture. I hope to develop my appreciation for Chinese culture, but also understand how Western and Chinese cultures influence each other. I am particularly interested in the lasting impacts of Western colonial occupation in China. This grant will support my travel to places of such historical significance, including former Treaty Port locations. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities the MCI grant supports. 

My name is Agnieszka Gilbert, I’m from South Wales and I study Chinese at Manchester. I am about to embark on my year abroad to Tsinghua University in Beijing.

I am looking forward to experiencing China first hand and improving my Mandarin skills through everyday life. My year abroad is an invaluable opportunity for me to improve my confidence in my spoken Mandarin and to experience Chinese society firsthand. I am really excited to live and study in Beijing, which has many fascinating historical sights. I am also looking forward to travelling around China, to provinces in the south such as Guangxi and Guangdong. I would also love to travel to places linked with the Silk Road, such as Xi’an and Zhangye.

In the future I would like to use the knowledge I gained during my year abroad to pursue postgraduate research, focusing especially on history.  I am very grateful for this grant which will support me in achieving this goal.

I am Vanessa, and I'm studying Chinese and Business and Management. I’m currently preparing for my year abroad at Nanjing University, where I’ll continue developing my Mandarin skills and exploring my interest in development economics - particularly in the context of China-Africa relations.

Mandarin is my third language, which I began learning at university. Coming from a Nigerian-Italian background, I’ve always been curious about China’s growing role in African development. Learning the language allows me to connect more meaningfully with both cultures and understand the nuances of these evolving relationships.

This travel fund will allow me to not worry about raising money to travel to China, where outside of studying I plan to visit cities like Guangzhou, home to a large African diaspora, where I hope to learn from African business owners and local Chinese entrepreneurs. I also plan to attend academic events—like those at Zhejiang University - focused on China-Africa cooperation.

By exploring these themes on the ground, I hope to gain real-world insights into global trade, migration, and development. This experience will play a key role in shaping my future career in diplomacy, international policy, or trade reform—anchored in fairness, mutual understanding, and cross-cultural collaboration.

My name is Kayla; I study Chinese at Manchester. From next year I will be studying at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou. I am very much looking forward to developing my fluency whilst also attending elective modules on Chinese culture. Whilst abroad, I also hope to delve further into my interests, learning more about China’s history and visual culture.

I am excited to travel around China, especially to Hangzhou, Suzhou, Beijing, and Chongqing, so that I can really explore the diversity around China. I am particularly looking forward to Zhejiang because it's such a great location, it offers a great focus on culture, and it is easy to travel to other places from there.

I also hope to travel to places like Korea, Japan and Thailand to build a broader perspective and experience various cultures whilst abroad. By the end of my year abroad, I hope to have developed on what I’ve learnt at Manchester over the past 2 years and what I will learn whilst at Zhejiang. Most importantly I aim have a great time improving my fluency and exploring my personal interests.

Yingqian Wang is currently a doctoral research student at the Global Development Institute, The University of Manchester.

Her research focuses on technology-driven organisational change and work psychology. Her current project explores an understudied area in China, where employee psychological well-being is often culturally overlooked. Against the backdrop of workplace phenomena like tangping (lying flat) and bailan (letting it rot) that reflect widespread burnout, she investigates how digital transformation is structurally reshaping work environments and influencing employee wellbeing as a dynamic process. 

She envisions her work bridging academic research with business practice to foster human-centred organisational change and build a better working world for employees. 

I’m Polina, a current undergraduate student at The University of Manchester, studying Chinese and Politics (BA). As part of my degree, I am planning to study in Shanghai, a city at the heart of China’s cultural, economic, and political life. I already speak several widely spoken languages, including Russian, English, and Spanish. However, I chose to pursue Mandarin because I wanted to challenge myself with something entirely different and immerse myself in a language and culture that are both rich and complex.

Receiving this travel award would significantly support my academic and personal growth. It would enable me to deepen my understanding of Chinese language and society by experiencing it first-hand. This opportunity would not only strengthen my Mandarin skills but also allow me to explore China more broadly - its regions, people, and history—beyond the classroom. Ultimately, this experience will enrich my studies and help me build a global perspective essential for my future career in international relations or diplomacy.

My name is Eva Tollett, and I’m from London. I study Politics and Chinese at the University of Manchester. As part of my degree, I’ll be spending a year abroad at Fudan University in Shanghai—an opportunity I’m incredibly excited about.

This year abroad is about more than just studying. It’s a chance to immerse myself in Chinese culture and experience first-hand how it differs from life in the UK. I was drawn to studying Chinese because of its global importance and the insight it offers into a unique political and cultural system. I hope my time at Fudan and its language program will improve my spoken Chinese and help me gain confidence in navigating new, unfamiliar environments.

Outside of my studies, I plan to use this grant to travel across China and explore its cultural and geographic diversity. I’m especially interested in volunteering at schools in rural areas. This would not only allow me to practice my Chinese but learn about Chinese culture from a different perspective.

My name is Wilf Butler, I’m from South London and I study Chinese and Spanish at Manchester. I will be going on my year abroad at East China Normal University, Shanghai.

I’m really excited to get my feet firmly on the ground and start using Mandarin in my daily life, rather than experiencing the language solely through a textbook. One of the many reasons I wanted to go to Shanghai was because it’s a great base for travelling, both within and outside of China. I’m a keen traveller and can’t wait to explore as many regions in China as I can!

In particular, I’m looking forward to heading to some of the southern provinces, particularly Yunnan and Guangxi, and would like to cross the border into Laos. If possible, I’d love to add Korea or Central Asia to my itinerary.

I can’t wait to discover where my year abroad will take me and for all the people I will meet along the way! I'm grateful that the MCI travel fund will massively help out with this!

My name is Ioana Cozma. I was born in Oradea, Romania, and raised in Lisbon and London. Currently, I am pursuing a BA in Chinese Studies at the University of Manchester. I am about to embark on my year abroad at East China Normal University in Shanghai, an opportunity that fills me with immense excitement and anticipation.

Chinese is my sixth language and my first language outside of Europe, marking a significant milestone in my linguistic and cultural education. I began studying Chinese during my first year at university, and since then, I have immersed myself deeply in the language, culture, and history.

This upcoming year in China presents a unique chance to engage with these elements firsthand, allowing me to experience Chinese society beyond the confines of screens and textbooks. This immersive experience will not only enhance my language proficiency but also provide a deeper understanding of the cultural context.

My name is Freya, and I am currently studying Architecture at the Manchester School of Architecture. This summer, I will be attending Peking University’s Chinese Language summer school in Beijing. This course runs for two months and provides an intensive language learning environment.

By attending the Peking University course, I am looking forward to seeing improvements in my Chinese language level, through studying and day-to-day conversation in China. Only by living in China can I organically develop my understanding of Chinese and engage authentically with Chinese culture. I plan to take the HSK 6 language exam at the end of the summer.

Additionally, Beijing has a rich array of contemporary and ancient architecture to explore. I am also excited to visit the Beijing Museum of Ancient Chinese Architecture, and to have a more nuanced understanding of Chinese architecture when I start back at MSA in September.

Moving forward, I would like to use this opportunity to complement my degree in Architecture. With my sights set on graduation and the globalised future of Architecture and construction, I am very grateful for this invaluable opportunity to learn and develop towards my future goals.

My name is Humna Khuram and I am currently studying Law with International study. I plan to study Mandarin in Shanghai in the summer at East China Normal University.

Primarily, I plan to use this grant to develop to a decent level of proficiency in Mandarin whilst exploring both the career prospects and the culture firsthand. I hope to increase my cultural competency by experiencing China’s vibrant technological ecosystem and education system firsthand in order to connect with professionals, academics and people that I may not have been able to do otherwise.

Furthermore, I also plan to use this grant to explore more of China then Shanghai, such as cities like Chongqing, Beijing and, in particular, Zhangjiajie (also known as Avatar Mountains). Additionally, if time allows, the Khunjerab border, given my Pakistani heritage.

I'm Sol Stappard, 23, from West Yorkshire, currently on my year abroad in Nanjing, China. I have studied Mandarin for two and a half years after switching from my Chemical Engineering degree at Nottingham University.

My goals this year are twofold: to enhance my professional Mandarin proficiency and deepen my cultural understanding of China by being on the ground immersing myself in Chinese society.

This grant supports both objectives. For instance, I plan to explore less-visited areas and meet the peoples that reside there.

In the summer and winter holidays I plan to travel the southwestern border with Laos and Myanmar and the northeast border with Russia and North Korea, this will allow me to see first-hand the lives of those at the fringes of Chinese society and to what extent these regions have been able to share in the economic prosperity brought on since Deng Xiaoping's reform and opening policy in the 1970s.

Finally, I believe this experience will help in my early career development as I will be able to bring a more accurate, holistic, and 3-dimensional view of China to the table contributing in a meaningful way to furthering mutual understanding and cooperation between both the UK and China.

My name is Esmé Forrester, and I am from Ipswich. I am about to go on my year abroad to Taiwan to study at National Taiwan University as part of my Spanish and Chinese undergraduate degree.

I am incredibly excited to experience life in Taipei! I started Mandarin ab initio in my first year although I studied Spanish at A levels.

I hope that my time in Taipei will help me to develop my Mandarin skills so that I can have as much confidence in speaking and listening as I do in Spanish.

Another aspect of National Taiwan University that interests me is the university’s emphasis on environmental protection because after graduation, I would love to utilise my language skills to facilitate discussions on climate change between the UK and China.

My name is Eva Pimblett and I study Spanish and Chinese at the University of Manchester. During the third year of my degree, I will be studying in Taiwan at National Taiwan Normal University.

I am looking forward to the unique opportunity to study traditional characters in Taiwan, alongside the simplified characters I currently study in my degree.

The ability to read and write Mandarin with two writing systems would help me in my hopes to pursue a career in literary translation.

Studying abroad as an exchange student in Taiwan will also allow me to greatly improve my Mandarin language skills and to learn more about the literature and cinema of the Mandarin-speaking world. The MCI travel fund will help me to achieve these goals and develop these interests during my study abroad placement.

I'm from the small town of Saint George in Transylvania, Romania. I’m currently studying at the University of Manchester, majoring in BA Chinese Studies. As part of my degree, I will spend my third year in Taiwan, studying at National Taiwan Normal University.

Being able to study at NTNU for a whole academic year will allow me to significantly improve my Chinese language skills and immerse myself in the local culture. I hope to use this knowledge and experience to fulfil my ambition to obtain a job at the UN in China, linking my passion for the Chinese language and culture with my drive to make positive change.

Hello, I'm Erin French. I am originally from Liverpool but have spent the last 2 years living in Manchester studying Spanish and Chinese at UoM.

I will be spending my 3rd year at university studying abroad at National Taiwan University in Taipei where I will continue studying mandarin as well as other Taiwanese culture and history related modules.

After finishing my degree, I hope to return to Taiwan as an ESL teacher not only to continue to build my Chinese skills but also aid children in tackling language barriers and help them build international relationships more easily in the future.

I am Benjamin from London; however, I study at the University of Manchester. I am currently reading Chinese Studies BA (Hons), which has granted me the opportunity to Residence Abroad at the National Taiwan University, Taiwan.

I have chosen a range of classes taught in both Mandarin and English as, while I am in Taiwan, my main focus is to improve my Chinese proficiency as much as possible.

Additionally, being very career-orientated, I am keen to use my time to develop my knowledge of the Chinese Insurance markets when possible. Ultimately, I wish to be able to combine the two to enhance my future job search.

Teddy Hatter grew up in South London, and studied Mandarin at both GCSE and A-Level.

They are now studying Chinese Studies (BA) at the University of Manchester. Beyond language, their studies have focused on the experiences of ethnic and religious minorities in China.

Teddy is now entering their placement year, and from September will be studying at National Taiwan University in Taipei.

They hope to use the skills they develop at National Taiwan University to eventually work in a Mandarin-speaking environment, and are keen to increase their field of communication to broaden their understanding of Chinese culture, history, and current affairs.

My name is Gianmario Cosmai, I am a 20 year-old student at the University of Manchester, currently in my 3rd year of Politics and Chinese. I come from the region of Apulia, in Southern Italy, but I have grew up in Brussels for seventeen years before moving to Manchester.

I am passionate about geopolitics, foreign affairs, business, sports, cinema and languages (I am fluent in English, Italian and French; and I have upper intermediate levels in Chinese and Spanish). My future plans include improving my level of Chinese, learning other languages and getting more actively involved in politics.

I am about to leave for Taipei where I will spend my next academic year at the National Chengchi University.

In Taipei I will take intensive courses of Mandarin and Political history of Taiwan. Moreover, during my stay I am planning to start collecting material for my final-year dissertation on the diplomatic relations between Taiwan and the EU. I am honoured to be an MCI-UK award recipient!

My name is Joseph Stoddart, I'm 21 years old and I'm originally from Liverpool. I came to Manchester 3 years ago to study for a Bachelors Degree in Politics and Chinese, and I'm currently preparing to undertake a year abroad studying Mandarin in Taiwan.

I will be situated in Taipei at the National Taiwan University where I hope to develop my language skills to a respectable degree of fluency.

This award from the Manchester China Institute has made my plans proceed a lot more smoothly, and alleviated much of the financial burden that studying abroad can potentially bring.

In the future I plan to make use of the skills gained from my period abroad to further my career goals, where I hope to work for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office upon graduation.

I’m Keisha and I was born and raised in London. I’m currently studying Modern Language and Business & Management (Chinese) at the University of Manchester.

As part of my degree, I have the opportunity to study in Taiwan where I will be able to focus on improving my Chinese at the National Taiwan University in Taipei.

I believe that learning Chinese is a very useful skill and will be valuable in my future as I hope to be involved in international organisations or work in communications related roles.

I am excited to be studying abroad and am keen to explore and learn about the local culture.

Overall, it will be an invaluable experience which I can benefit from in the future.

Hi, my name is Aidan. I lived almost all my childhood in a small village in rural Dorset, and then came to the University of Manchester because I was in desperate need to experience some urban living!

I am currently studying a BA (Hons) in French Studies and Chinese Studies, having continued studying French from A level, but taking on the challenge of Chinese ab initio.

During my time in Taiwan, I will be studying at the National Taiwan University, in Taipei, and living nearby in Xindian District - I can’t wait to get out there!

In the future, I wish to put my language skills to good use. In whatever career I go into, I aim to use the skills I learnt in my degree to be a friendly and welcoming presence.

I study Politics and Chinese at Manchester and at Taiwan National University I'll be taking mostly Mandarin classes.

I'll also be taking some modules in other departments to push my academic Chinese ability to a higher level and facilitate my future postgraduate goals of being able to study in the PRC at a C9 league university.

In regard to broader ambitions for the future, I plan on using my Chinese cultural and language skills to be involved with research related to the PRC's major systemic issues.

After listening to a Fairbank Center podcast delivered by Scott Rozelle about wealth inequality within China, I see the growing gulf within human capital between urban and rural Hukou holders as a pressing long-term systemic hindrance to the economy, thus ideally I would like a future career with the scope to be able to resolve and further understand this issue.