On Saturday morning, 26th October, a Teacher Training Day was held as part of Brunel University’s Transnational Education (TNE) partnership with North China University of Technology (NCUT) in Beijing. This event aimed to foster collaboration among academics from other TNE programmes in the Beijing area, bringing together tutors from various disciplines to engage in practical, hands-on workshops.

Since 2020, Brunel has been running three TNE programmes at NCUT in Beijing: Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Data Science, with a combined total of 1,200 students. All the Year 1 and Year 2 students in these programmes receive intensive English language training run by Brunel Language Centre. Victor Koszykowski, Head of English for Academic Purposes for TNE in China, the originator and the driving force behind the event, enlisted three tutors–Siobhan Cronin, Howard Harris, and Nick Thornton–to lead workshops addressing key teaching challenges faced by educators of Chinese undergraduates.

The workshops tackled essential topics, such as blending pedagogic and andragogic teaching methods, enhancing students’listening skills with a focus on the needs of Chinese learners, incorporating gamification into teaching, and encouraging students to participate actively in seminars through the Willingness to Communicate (WTC) model. Although the themes originate from English teaching, the workshops also touched on broader educational challenges and opportunities that are universal across TNE programmes.

"No matter what subject you teach within TNE, everyone is an English teacher at the end of the day," says Victor. The topics were carefully chosen based on real classroom experiences and lesson observations from China, resonating with participants as both practical and inspiring.

Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive. One attendee remarked,“I learned new ideas, techniques and skills that were relevant to my teaching work. The workshop was delivered in a pleasant environment and had a chance to interact with fellow colleagues.”Another participant commented,“I learned some new (at least for me) teaching concepts, and met some international teachers.”

Teacher Training Days like this one provide Brunel and NCUT staff with a valuable opportunity to come together–not only to learn but also to connect in a relaxed and meaningful way. Additionally, these events encourage networking with colleagues from other institutions, foster discussions on teaching practices, and prompt reflections on effective strategies for delivering quality education in China.

Despite the event taking place on a Saturday morning, attendance was strong, and the feedback was nothing short of spectacular. Plans are already underway to make this a regular fixture on the calendar, positioning it as a flagship event for TNE tutors in China. These workshops offer a unique opportunity for participants to strengthen their professional bonds, exchange ideas, and support one another as they continue to make a positive impact in the heart of China.