Fagstrategi kinesisk 2026-2028

Strategiplan for Kinastudier 2026–2028

Huiwen Helen Zhang 2025

STRATEGIC PLANS 2026–2028: CHINESE STUDIES
Study Portfolio Development (in light of available teaching resources)

• Design, launch, and complete the foundational BA-program reform — aimed
• at complementing the university-wide reform and maximizing synergy.
• Introduce new courses (KIN105, KIN106) and restructure existing ones to
• optimize workload and pedagogical flow, while maintaining academic rigor
• and student engagement. (See Appendix.)
• Develop, establish, and optimize collaborative courses — initially with
• Japanese within IF, followed by expansion to other disciplines within and
• beyond IF and HF.
• Develop, establish, and optimize course packages — designed to serve both
• the general goals of the University and the specific interests of the subject
• area. These packages may also serve as recruitment tools or be offered to nondegree
• students.
• Strengthen communication and collaboration with department leadership
• regarding novel ideas and pedagogical experiments to enhance teaching
• effectiveness, thereby accommodating limited resources without
• compromising quality. Examples include:
  • Introducing a 1–2 year “pause” between each new term for external
  • program evaluations.
  • Reducing the number of exam sensors from two to one.

Hiring Priorities (types of positions to be prioritized if opportunities arise)

• Primary and urgent: A 50% teaching-only position to replace the vacancy
• left by Jens Karlssen’s departure in 2025.
• Secondary and desirable: A PhD or Postdoc position — strategically
• valuable for ensuring research continuity, enhancing supervision capacity, and
• fostering international collaboration.

Other Chinese-Specific Strategies

• Seize every opportunity to promote Chinese Studies at UiB, including participation in initiatives such as “LES 100.”
• Explore avenues to attract and sustain interest from Norwegian high schools, e.g., through the “Lån en foreleser” initiative: https://www.uib.no/hf/179934/l%C3%A5n-en-foreleser
• Continue our longstanding commitment to initiating, organizing, and hosting Chinese or China-related cultural activities and exchanges — especially in collaboration with other disciplines at UiB and with other Norwegian universities. For this, we would welcome increased support from the faculty and university.

APPENDIX
Restructuring of BA-KIN (as of 30.10.2025)
OVERVIEW
1st Semester (Autumn)

• EXPHIL Examen philosophicum (10 studiepoeng)
• New Course / Study Portfolio (10 studiepoeng)
• KIN100 (10 studiepoeng)

2nd Semester (Spring)

• KIN101 Introduction to Chinese Language I (10 studiepoeng; reduced from15)
• KIN102 Chinese Language II (10 studiepoeng; reduced from 15)
• KIN105: Introduction to Language and Society (10 studiepoeng; new)

3rd Semester (Autumn)

• KIN103 Chinese Language III (10 studiepoeng; reduced from 15)
• KIN104 Chinese Language IV (10 studiepoeng; reduced from 15)
• KIN106: Introduction to Literature and Philosophy (10 studiepoeng; new)

4th Semester (Spring)

• Study Abroad I (30 studiepoeng): one of five options — four in mainland China (1–2 semesters), one in Taiwan (1 year)

5th Semester (Autumn)

• Study Abroad II (30 studiepoeng): continuation from 4th semester, or alternative UiB course packages

6th Semester (Spring)

• KIN201 Chinese Language V (15 studiepoeng)
• KIN251 Bachelor Thesis in Chinese (15 studiepoeng) – EAS2XX joint module (with Japanese)

KEY CHANGES

• All courses, except KIN201 and KIN251 in the 6th semester, are restructured into 10 studiepoeng modules. Subject codes (e.g., 101, 102) will be updated accordingly.
• Two new courses introduced: KIN105 and KIN106 (placeholder names).
• Mandatory exchange introduced in the 4th semester, with strong recommendation to continue into the 5th semester.
• EAS2XX introduced as a joint module with Japanese in the final semester.
• The 2nd semester of the new program (KIN101, KIN102, KIN105) may be offered as a course package.

WORK RESOURCE CHANGES
Associated with the Restructure

• The new structure of 3×10 studiepoeng courses is expected to reduce workload, as the new courses will include more seminars.
• However, the addition of one more course per semester will require an extra course coordinator.
• Summary of expected workload (per Guowen’s calculation, 17.6.2025):
  • Current Chinese BA: 1920 hours
  • Proposed Chinese BA: 1980 hours
  • Chinese MA program: 587 hours
• Any program changes affecting students must be accompanied by clear communication and a grace period, allowing students to complete their studies under the original structure. 
  Poor timing between the conclusion of the old program and the launch of the new may necessitate running both versions concurrently.