Taking place from June 11th to June 16th, 2017, the first Summer School in Slovak Language and Culture was organized at the Faculty of Arts, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra (abbrev. as UKF) for a group of visiting Chinese students of the prestigious Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU). The Summer School was prepared by the Language Center of the Faculty of Arts, under the supervision of its director, prof. Zelenická, in cooperation with the International Relations Office of UKF, represented by Anita Ivanková.

During the summer school Chinese students were able to improve their knowledge of Slovak in form of interactive lessons as well as to get acquainted with Slovak national traditions, music and cuisine. In the afternoons the students took sightseeing walks and attended various cultural events.  As part of their official programme they met with the Rector of Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, prof. Ľubomír Zelenický, and the Dean of Faculty of Arts, prof. Bernard Garaj.

The visit of Chinese students at UKF in Nitra took place within the planned activities and broader cooperation emerging from the newly concluded bilateral agreement on mutual cooperation between UKF and BFSU. The agreement aims to provide a platform for further students´ and scholars´ exchange as well as to provide Chinese students with the opportunity to pursue MA and PhD studies at UKF in Nitra. 

The students' positive feedback on a week spent at UKF shows that Nitra and Slovakia have become close to their hearts. One of the participants, Ruohui Wu, who comes from the city of Huainan in China, said: "Each person has a special and unique experience in her heart, I think that the summer school in Nitra is one of the most important experience in my life. During the summer school I met a lot of good teachers, tasted traditional Slovak home-cooked meals and participated in a variety of activities. We were able to meet with the Rector of the University and the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, and we received a lot of information about the relationship between Slovakia and China, and also more specific instructions how to advance our studies of the Slovak language and culture in the future. I studied Slovak history, Slovak poems and songs, and went to see the famous historical sights. Nitra is a very nice and modern city, and, if I have the opportunity to visit Nitra again, I will gladly return because I would like to live and work in Nitra.

The overall positive response of Chinese students to the first edition of the UKF Slovak language summer school brings further challenges to its organizers who are ready to welcome more Chinese students at UKF in Nitra next year. The initiators and organizers at UKF believe that these summer schools will become an important form of cooperation between the two universities.