About Chinese Students and Scholars Association in Newcastle
The Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) in Newcastle is a part of the official CSSA-UK for Chinese students and scholars who have decided to pursue their education or work in the United Kingdom. The CSSA in Newcastle follows the main goals of the CSSA-UK which is to help and connect the Chinese in the United Kingdom, in the first place those who are studying or working at Newcastle University.
Most members of the CSSA in Newcastle are students who visit Newcastle University. The University has over 3,000 international students, while the Chinese account for about 800. These students are already familiar with the city and its surroundings and are happy to share their experience and useful information with the freshers, help them organize the trip to Britain, introduce them with the campus, the city and the United Kingdom as a whole in order to help them understand the country’s culture, history and tradition as well as make them feel closer to their home at the same time. Through the CSSA-UK, the CSSA in Newcastle maintains a close connection with the Chinese intellectual community in the United Kingdom as well as in China and other CSSA members worldwide.
Just like the CSSA-UK, the CSSA in Newcastle is a non-profit, non-political and non-religious organisation which is open to every Chinese student and scholar in Newcastle but it is also open to other people who would like to experience the Chinese culture and tradition from the first hand. The CSSA in Newcastle regularly organises various social, sport and cultural events which enable its members to socialise and enjoy the Chinese life and culture abroad.
Besides helping its members to adjust to life abroad and stay in touch with their people and culture, and in a way, their motherland, the CSSA in Newcastle also devotes a lot of time to promoting and educating the UK population about the Chinese culture, tradition and history as well as to building a closer relationship with the UK intellectual community order to allow its members to learn more about their peers in the UK. At the same time, the CSSA in Newcastle works on creating a bridge between the Western and Eastern worlds in order to build understanding and respect between the young generations in the UK and China as well as to improve the dialogue between the intellectual communities in both countries. This is achieved through organisation of various joint activities and events during which the Chinese and British can learn more about each other.
The CSSA also regularly organises events which are open to the general public with an aim to bring the Chinese culture closer to the British public. In 2010, the members of the CSSA in Newcastle organized the Chinese New Year which received an enormous response and was also mentioned by the BBC.
The CSSA is supported by the Chinese government, Chinese consulate in the United Kingdom and the UK’s Universities.