On 24 February, nearly 160 UCL students from China and Hong Kong gathered in the North Cloisters to celebrate Chinese New Year.

For over a decade, successive UCL Pro-Vice-Provosts have marked the Chinese New Year with an informal drinks reception for staff and students from China, and for staff working with Chinese partners.

The issue of whether it was in fact the Year of the Goat, Sheep or Ram, a debate hotly contested in the media this year, was raised by Pro-Vice-Provost for China, Professor Xiao Guo, who suggested that if the year was anything like UCL students, who are independent and auspicious, 2015 must be the Year of the Goat.

“People born in a Year of the Goat are generally believed to be gentle mild-mannered, shy, stable, sympathetic, amicable, and brimming with a strong sense of kindheartedness and justice.

They have very delicate thoughts, strong creativity, and perseverance, and acquire professional skills well. Although they look gentle on the surface, they are tough on the inside, always insisting on their own opinions in their minds. They have strong inner resilience and excellent defensive instincts.”

China Highlights

Speakers and guests at the event included:

• Professor Michael Arthur, UCL President and Provost
• Dame Nicola Brewer, Vice Provost (International)
• Sir John Boyd, Chairman of Asia House
• Lord Tim Clement Jones, UCL Council and House of Lords All Party China Group
• Professor emeritus, Michael Worton

Visit the UCL Global China webpage for the latest information on partnerships and collaborations in the region, current activities and details on how to join the UCL staff China Regional Network

UCL will host of the XIII Symposium of Mexican Students and Studies 2015: “Connecting Ideas, Building the Future”. This event will take place during the summer, from 23-25 July.

Organised by the UCLU Mexican Society, there will be a number of parallel sessions for students as well as lectures by recognised researchers in topics related to science, technology, public health, environment, human rights, politics, and arts and humanities in Mexico.

The Governments of the UK and Mexico decided to celebrate 2015 as the dual Year of Mexico in the UK/Year of the UK in Mexico. Followed by the visit of the Prince of Wales to Mexico, this event will be the academic peak of the Dual Year in an open, plural, and critic environment to discuss the main concerns of the Mexican population.

All students from any nationality whose research is about Mexican studies are warmly invited to apply in this unique opportunity to network with their peers. The call for papers will be published in due course.

To find out more, please contact the lead organiser, Tonatiuh Anzures at tonatiuh.anzures.11@ucl.ac.uk or follow the UCLU Mexican Society on Twitter @ucl_mexsoc or Facebook