8th Annual SCEN Youth Summit Points the Way Forward

The 8th SCEN Youth Summit took place on Friday 8 November at the EICC Edinburgh. Students from nearly 20 schools from Scotland participated with a number of visiting students from Hong Kong as part of the Hong Kong Scotland School Improvement Partnership. The theme was Scotland: China – Moving Forward and the event was hosted by young people – with senior school student presenters from Grangemouth High, Lasswade and St Thomas of Aquin’s (Edinburgh). Around 300 young people and teachers were present.

There were many comments from speakers – including retiring SCEN President Lord Wilson of Tillyorn – that the standard of Chinese spoken at the event this year was higher than ever.

Last year’s presenters – Lewis Hanley and Maia Hollins Kirk, now Confucius scholars, studying in China , based in Tianjin spoke of what today’s young learners of Chinese can aspire to. They were followed by presentations from around 15 schools on the work they are doing to learn Chinese and about China.

Lord Wilson now retires after 12 years as President of SCEN – to be succeeded by the founder and former Chair of SCEN, Dr Judith McClure.