Leading scholars from a Chinese university will see first hand how children in the north-east are learning about the language and culture of their country in a visit to Moray.
A delegation of academics from the South China Normal University is spending a week at the University of Aberdeen to promote links between the two institutions.
As part of their fact-finding mission, they will travel to Moray on Wednesday (January 20) to see local school children taking part in the Confucius Classrooms Initiative.
The delegation will visit Lossiemouth High School in the morning and St Thomas’ Primary School, Keith at 1.30pm.
Both schools participate in Confucius Classrooms, a scheme which promotes Chinese learning and forms part of the government’s memorandum of understanding aiming to strengthen educational co-operation between China and Scotland.
The scheme in the north-east incorporates primary and secondary schools from Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus and Moray and pupils look at Chinese culture, language, heritage, history, art, food, music and sport.
In addition to the school visit, the party will spend time at the University of Aberdeen and on Thursday (January 21) there will be a Scottish music concert and reception for the guests.
They will also take part in working sessions in theSchoolof Educationand Music Department.
The visit is part of a two-year British Council funded development and research project. Partnership activities include developing a post graduate degree in Teaching and Learning for Enterprise and Employability, creating an undergraduate education and music student exchange programme and planning collaborative research activities in education and music.
Professor Dominic Houlihan, Vice Principal, Research and Commercialisation, University of Aberdeen, said: “China's rapid economic development is reshaping the global economy with important implications for Scotland and other advanced economies.
“This is an excellent opportunity for the University of Aberdeen to work together with the South China Normal University to build on our strong links with Chinese universities.
“Education and an understanding of Chinese culture plays a key part and the University of Aberdeen is uniquely placed in our expertise at the applied and academic levels to develop genuine working collaboration.”