International Conference: Teaching Chinese Language and Translation to/from Chinese at a Crossroad
University of Mons, Belgium
16-17 March 2026
Keynote Speakers
01
Martin Ward
University of Leeds
Professor of Chinese and Japanese Translation
AHC Faculty Academic Lead for Global Campus Experience
University Lead for Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL)
Founder of UNICOIL- The UK and Ireland COIL Network
LITE Fellow-Project: Internationalising student education at Leeds through embedding Collaborative Online International Learning
中国翻译协会海外专家 (TAC)
Founder of the East Asian Translation Pedagogy Advance (EATPA) network CMI Level 5 Qualified Coach
Sergio Conti
Roma Tre University
Professor of Chinese and Japanese Translation AHC Faculty Academic Lead for Global Campus Experience University Lead for Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Founder of UNICOIL- The UK and Ireland COIL Network LITE Fellow-Project: Internationalising student education at Leeds through embedding Collaborative Online International Learning 中国翻译协会海外专家 (TAC) Founder of the East Asian Translation Pedagogy Advance (EATPA) network CMI Level 5 Qualified Coach
02
03
Guoxian Zhang
University of Mons
Founder of the former Chinese Language and Culture Department (now ChinEAsT laboratory)
Doctor of Educational Psychology (University of Mons, Belgium, 1991)
Member of CIPA (International Center of Applied Phonetics)
Venue
Faculty of Translation and Interpretation "Plaine de Nimy" Campus
University of Mons, Belgium
Mons (Bergen in Dutch) is situated in the French-speaking, southern part of Belgium (Walloon Region, province of Hainaut), near the French border. It is approximately 60 km from Brussels.
A major cultural centre in Wallonia, Mons was European Capital of Culture in 2015. The “Doudou”, a week-long series of festivities which originates from the 14th century and takes place every year on Trinity Sunday, is listed by UNESCO among the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
The University of Mons, abbreviated to “UMONS”, is a French-speaking university based in two campuses, in the cities of Mons and Charleroi, in the Belgian province of Hainaut. It hosts nearly 10 000 students across 70 nationalities.
UMONS was created in 2009 following a merger between the University of Mons-Hainaut (including the School of International Interpreters, founded in 1962) and the Faculty of Engineering of Mons (the university’s oldest faculty, founded in 1837).
Our campus
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“Pentagon” Building (Science, Medicine and Pharmacy; Library)
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“FTI-EII” Building (Translation and Interpreting)
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“Mendeleiev” Building (Science, Medicine and Pharmacy)
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Building n°4 (Science, Translation & Interpreting)
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Building n°5 (Science, Translation & Interpreting)
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Building n°6 (Medicine and Pharmacy)
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Big Amphitheatres
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Centre “Vesale” (amphitheatres)
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Dining Hall
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“De Vinci” Building (Science, Translation & Interpreting)
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Daycare
How to get there
By plane
The two international airports nearest to Mons are Brussels Airport, the largest of Belgium, and Brussels-South Charleroi Airport. Brussels Airport is Belgium’s major hub for all major destinations, including long-distance and transcontinental flights; Brussels-South Charleroi Airport, on the other hand, is mostly focused on low-fare flights from/to Europe and North Africa.
To go to Mons from Brussels Airport, you can take a direct train from Brussels-Airport-Zaventem station towards Mons. The average journey time is 1h30.
Important note! As the airport is based in the Dutch-speaking region of the country, you will probably need to look for the train to Bergen, the Dutch name of the city.
There is normally one direct train per hour from the airport towards Mons. If you are not able to get it, you can also ride up to Brussels first (at least four trains per hour), and then change trains.
If you depart from Brussels-South Charleroi Airport, you will first have to take a bus at the airport bus station up to Charleroi-Sud railway station. Then, you can take a direct train to Mons (at least two trains per hour; destinations Mons, Tournai or Lille-Flandres). The whole journey time is about 1h30. A bus-train combined ticket can be bought on the machines outside the airport terminal.
By train
Mons is directly connected by train with many major Belgian cities such as Brussels, Namur, Charleroi, Liège or Leuven (but not with Antwerp, Ghent or Bruges; from these cities, you have to go to Brussels first).
From Brussels (no matter from which station: Bruxelles-Nord, Bruxelles-Central or Bruxelles-Midi), at least two trains per hour circulate towards Mons (destination: Braine-le-Comte & Mons, Mons & Quiévrain, or Mons & Quévy). The average journey time is more or less 50~55 minutes.
Outside Belgium, there is also a direct line between the French city of Lille and Mons (from Lille-Flandres station, at least 1 train per hour); the approximate journey time is 1h10. A new train line also connects Paris to Mons (several journeys per day), taking approximately 2½ hours.
Our campus is situated at a 30-minute walk from the train station.
Accomodation
We recommend the following hotels for your stay in Mons:
— B&B HOTEL Mons Centre ***
112 Rue des Arbalétriers – 7000 MONS (the nearest to the campus)
https://www.hotel-bb.com/fr/hotel/mons-centre
— B&B HOTEL Mons Gare***
27 B Boulevard Charles Quint – 7000 MONS (in front of the train station)
https://www.hotel-bb.com/fr/hotel/mons-gare?utm_source=googlemaps&utm_medium=fichehotel&utm_campaign=yext
— Hotel Mons Congres & Spa (Van der Valk)****
7 Avenue Mélina Mercouri – 7000 MONS (behind the train station)
https://www.hotelmons.eu/en
— Hôtel Infotel ***
32 Rue d’Havré – 7000 MONS (in the city centre)
http://www.hotelinfotel.be/en/index.php
Other hotel and accommodation suggestions (youth hostel, Bed & Breakfast…), can be found on the Mons Tourist Office website (https://www.visitmons.be/en/where-to-sleep).