Six teachers from Mendoza travel to China, all expenses paid: language teaching in Mendoza is the key

For the first time, an educational delegation from Mendoza will travel to China as part of a cultural and educational exchange program promoted by the General Directorate of Schools (DGE) , the Confucius Institute , and Nanjing University . The group, made up of six school principals , two DGE officials, and representatives from the University of Congreso , will depart on July 4 and remain in the Asian country until the 15th of that month.

"The goal is to learn about the Chinese education system , engage with local leaders, immerse ourselves in their culture , and capitalize on experiences that can be applied in our schools," Undersecretary of Education Claudia Ferrari explained to Los Andes. Ferrari will be part of the trip alongside Leandro Rodríguez , head of the Educational Cooperation department.

Claudia Ferrari is the Undersecretary of Education of Mendoza. Photo: José Gutierrez / Los Andes

The initiative is part of the agreement signed in 2024 between the DGE (General Directorate of Education), the Confucius Institute, and the University of Congreso , through which Mandarin Chinese classes have already begun to be taught in Mendoza schools with native teachers . The program also includes institutional coordination and teacher training activities.

"I never thought I'd travel to China. When the agreement with the Confucius Institute was signed last year, we saw it as an opportunity to teach Chinese for free in Mendoza , but the trip was a distant prospect," Ferrari confessed.

During their stay in China , the Mendoza delegation will visit three key cities : Beijing, Nanjing, and Shanghai . The itinerary includes visits to schools, meetings with local education authorities , training sessions at Nanjing University, and cultural experiences .

"The Confucius Institute covers absolutely all expenses . The goal is to promote the Chinese language and culture worldwide," the undersecretary explained, emphasizing that the delegation will be housed on the Nanjing University campus , allowing for full immersion in the university system.

One of the unique features of this exchange is that it's a peer-to-peer meeting : the Mendoza executives will speak directly with their Chinese colleagues. "We're already preparing questions . We want to know how they evaluate , what areas they prioritize, and how they manage educational quality . They have very different measurement systems and national exams than ours," Ferrari said.

A delegation of teachers from Mendoza will travel to China to strengthen cultural and educational exchanges.

Government of Mendoza

In addition to the officials, the directors of the following institutions will travel: School 4-001 Vicente Zapata, 4-111 Pablo Nogués, 9-002 Tomás Godoy Cruz, 4-082 José Patrocinio Dávila, 4-087 Miguel Molina and 1-609 Perito Moreno .

Since early 2025, Chinese has been offered free of charge in some Mendoza schools . The program, coordinated by the DGE ( General Directorate of Education) and the Confucius Institute , is now available in six primary and secondary schools in Greater Mendoza and San Rafael .

One of the pioneers is the Pablo Nogués Technical School , where the first cohort of students has already been trained: "There are 25 students , 15 of whom have already certified Level 1 of the language . The classes are taught by a Chinese teacher sent by the Institute," Ferrari explained. The expectation is that more schools will join in the second semester .

“ Interest in the Chinese language is growing worldwide. In Mendoza, we are taking an important step by bringing this opportunity to our students,” added the official, who admits that, since the trip was confirmed, she has been practicing some words and polite expressions for landing in the Asian country.

Start of classes (illustrative images). Los Andes Archive.

“They taught us some polite expressions, how to greet and address the hosts and teachers . It's all part of the exchange and learning process,” she concluded enthusiastically.

• Six Mendoza schools are currently participating in the Chinese teaching program.
• 25 students from Pablo Nogués school are already taking the language, and 15 have certified the first level .
• Ten people from Mendoza make up the delegation traveling to China : six directors, two DGE officials, and two officials from the University of Congreso.
• 3 Chinese cities will visit: Beijing, Nanjing and Shanghai .
• 100% of the trip is funded by the Confucius Institute and Nanjing University .