Welcome

Welcome to the Swire Chinese Language Foundation. As the result of a ten-year initiative funded by the Swire Group, we have expanded the learning of Mandarin Chinese in British state schools through the Swire Chinese Language Programme (the Programme) grouped around 11 centres established across the country, teaching pupils from 4 to 18.

Our mission

Our mission is to improve the quality, scale, and reach of Mandarin Chinese teaching in UK state schools, particularly for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, helping to raise aspirations and strengthen the UK’s future China capability. We believe language learning plays a vital role in connecting people and cultures, and achieving this long-term vision will require sustained commitment over a generation.

Future

The establishment of the Centre for the Learning and Teaching of Chinese at the University of Oxford in the 2025/26 academic year, funded by John Swire & Sons Ltd., marks an important new chapter. Building on a decade of progress through the Swire Chinese Language Programme, the Centre will support Chinese language education nationwide through teacher training, research, and partnerships with schools offering Chinese in their curricula.

Teddy Watson – Executive Director and Trustee

“Without a deep understanding of a nation’s language, we cannot hope to engage effectively with it and this is particularly important for a country such as China.”