Professor Hongjian Sun, Former Secretary-General of Durham Chinese School: A Dedicated Parent Supporting Chinese Language Education

By By Jiarui Yu

Professor Hongjian Sun previously served as the Secretary-General of the Durham Chinese School Executive Committee. After completing his Master’s degree in Engineering in China, Professor Sun pursued further studies in the UK, earning a Ph.D. in Communication Engineering from the University of Edinburgh in 2007. During his doctoral studies in the UK, Professor Sun’s academic passion and diligence earned him a full scholarship from the university.

During his time in the UK, Professor Sun explored various cities, gradually adapting to and integrating into the local environment. While the Edinburgh accent initially posed a challenge, he was deeply impressed by the friendly local customs and the warmth of its residents. After several years dedicated to academic research, Professor Sun developed a deeper understanding and appreciation for the UK’s academic environment, particularly valuing its emphasis on research quality and the freedom to pursue individual discoveries. Upon completing his Ph.D., Professor Sun conducted postdoctoral research at King’s College London and subsequently at Princeton University in the United States. After extensive consideration, Professor Sun eventually moved to Durham in the Northeast of England in 2013, where he began his lectureship at Durham University. Durham’s serene atmosphere and strong academic environment allowed him to fully dedicate himself to research and teaching. Durham University is a highly regarded institution, attracting numerous talented students and researchers.

In 2017, Professor Sun and his family happened upon an event hosted by Durham Chinese School at Durham University’s Maiden Castle sports centre. After learning more about the school, he decided to join and became an educational volunteer. Alongside dropping off his own children for classes, he regularly offered his assistance to the school. Due to his demanding university commitments, Professor Sun recently stepped down from his role as Secretary-General of the Executive Committee. However, as a dedicated parent of a student, he continues to follow and support the school’s development. Chinese and heritage Chinese youth in the UK sometimes face challenges in learning Chinese, and Durham Chinese School addresses this by providing professional Chinese language instruction, utilizing textbooks developed by Jinan University in Guangzhou. During his tenure as Secretary-General, Professor Sun was primarily responsible for liaising with Durham University, making significant contributions to the school’s growth. The school currently runs six classes for nearly a hundred students, committed to providing an excellent Chinese language learning environment. During his time as Secretary-General, Professor Sun also participated in teacher recruitment, prioritizing professional educators with backgrounds and experience in education, a passion for teaching, and a deep understanding of cross-cultural and cross-linguistic pedagogy. Class assistants and school administrators are largely volunteers from Durham University, who are eager to learn, proactive, and willing to dedicate their holidays to support the school’s development. Professor Sun notes with satisfaction that his children have grown to love learning Chinese since attending the school, developing a deeper interest in traditional Chinese culture. They now independently read Chinese storybooks and recite classical poetry, even playing poetry-linking games after meals.

Academically, Professor Sun has achieved considerable success and is widely recognized. He has taught at Durham University for nearly a decade, publishing over two hundred papers, including numerous journal and conference contributions. He currently holds the position of Principal Professor in the Engineering Department, is a Chartered Engineer in the UK, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

Looking ahead, Professor Sun, in his capacity as a parent, is thoughtful and optimistic about the school’s future. Durham Chinese School primarily serves families from Chinese communities in the Northeast of England, including Sunderland, Newcastle, and Durham. With the rapid growth of the Chinese and heritage Chinese populations in the UK in recent years, the school anticipates further expansion. Academically, the school will continue to uphold high teaching standards and plans to recruit more excellent teachers to meet growing demand. Regarding facilities, while the current partnership with Durham University is strong, the school is actively exploring diverse long-term teaching spaces to ensure sustainable development. Durham Chinese School is committed to a practical approach, continuously striving to enhance its teaching environment, attract and retain outstanding teaching talent, and provide high-quality, non-profit Chinese language education services to the community.

杜伦中文学校前秘书长孙洪剑教授：矢志奉献，热心支持华文教育

作者：于嘉睿

孙洪剑教授，曾担任杜伦中文学校校委会秘书长。孙教授早年在国内完成工程学硕士学位后，于2007年赴英，在爱丁堡大学深造，攻读通信工程专业博士。在英国求学期间，孙教授凭借其学术热情和勤勉，获得了校方提供的全额奖学金。

在英期间，孙教授曾遍访各地，逐步适应并融入当地环境。尽管初到爱丁堡时对当地口音尚需适应，但其间友善的民风和淳朴的居民给他留下了深刻印象。在专注于学术研究数年后，孙教授对英国的学术氛围有了更深的理解与认同，尤其欣赏这里对研究质量和个人自由探索成果的重视。博士毕业后，孙教授先后在伦敦大学国王学院和美国普林斯顿大学从事博士后研究工作。经过多方考察，孙教授最终于2013年来到英国东北部的杜伦，在杜伦大学任教，担任讲师。杜伦的宁静致远与浓厚学术氛围，让他得以潜心科研与教学。杜伦大学作为一所享有盛誉的英国学府，吸引着众多优秀学子与研究人员。

2017年，孙教授偶然间参与了杜伦中文学校在杜伦大学运动中心举办的活动，在了解学校情况后，他决定加入并成为一名教育义工。平日里，在送孩子上学之余，他便在学校提供力所能及的帮助。鉴于其繁忙的大学工作，孙教授已于近期辞去校委会秘书长一职，但他作为一名热心的学生家长，仍旧持续关注并支持着学校的发展。在英国，华人华裔青少年学习中文面临一定挑战，而杜伦中文学校为他们提供了专业的中文教学，教材采用广州暨南大学编写的体系。目前，学校借用杜伦大学东方博物馆的教学楼进行授课，孙教授在担任秘书长期间，主要负责与杜伦大学的沟通协调工作，为学校发展做出重要贡献。学校现有六个教学班，近百名学生，致力于为学生提供优质的中文学习环境。孙教授在任期间还参与学校教师的面试与选拔，优先考虑具备教育学背景和经验、热心教学、对跨文化语言教学有深刻理解的专业教师。班级助教和学校助理多由来自杜伦大学的学生志愿者担任，他们好学上进，乐于奉献。孙教授欣慰地看到，他的孩子在学校学习中文后，兴趣日益浓厚，对中国传统文化有了更深入的了解，甚至会在茶余饭后自主阅读中文故事书，并参与诗词接力等亲子活动。

在学术方面，孙教授已是成就斐然，声名远播。他在杜伦大学任教近十年，已发表逾两百篇论文，并担任工程系首席教授，同时也是英国特许工程师、英国高等教育学会会士以及电气电子工程师学会高级会士。

展望学校未来，孙教授作为家长充满思考与希望。杜伦中文学校的学生主要来自英国东北地区（如桑德兰、纽卡斯尔和杜伦等地的华人家庭）。随着近年来英国华人华裔群体的快速发展，学校的规模有望进一步扩大。在教学上，学校将继续坚持高质量的教学标准，计划招聘更多优秀教师以满足发展需求。在场地方面，虽然目前学校与杜伦大学的合作良好，但为实现可持续发展，学校正积极探索多元化的长期教学空间。杜伦中文学校将脚踏实地，致力于提升教学环境，持续吸引和保留优秀教师资源，为社区提供更优质的公益性中文教育服务。