Teaching Chinese at the United Nations Headquarters in New York

By Yue Yan

When people hear “United Nations Headquarters in New York,” they often picture a distant, iconic place. As the world’s largest international organization, the UN has 193 member states and carries the mission of protecting peace, dignity, and equality on our planet. It deals with global issues such as climate change, migration, counterterrorism, and decolonization—words that sound both sacred and far away.

In June 2013, just before finishing my postdoctoral research at Tsinghua University, I applied for a Chinese teaching post sponsored by Hanban (now the Center for Language Education and Cooperation). On the placement list, I casually noticed “United Nations Headquarters, New York.” My heart skipped a beat, and I checked the box without much expectation. Months later, after a series of unexpected changes, I was indeed assigned to the UN in New York—a post only available to teachers from Beijing Language and Culture University. Looking back, it felt like fate. By September 1st, I had set foot on American soil, ready for this new chapter.

First Impressions in the Classroom

Although I had been teaching Chinese to foreigners since 2004 and had students from all walks of life, teaching diplomats was a first. Standing in front of these international professionals, I knew every word I said carried the weight of China’s image. My first class was held in a modest room at UN Plaza—not as high-tech as I had imagined.

At noon, about a dozen students walked in: men in suits, women in formal dresses, all radiating professionalism. Their warm smiles eased my tension. The class went smoothly; despite varying levels, everyone showed genuine curiosity for Chinese.

At the end, a Filipino student said:

“Time flew! Usually I watch the clock in class, but today I didn’t want it to end. Thank you!”

Others bowed or shook my hand to express thanks—something I’d never experienced so formally. One Israeli student even teased me:

“Teacher Yue, your class is excellent, but you look nervous. Relax—we’re not here for exams. Learning Chinese is my way to unwind after work.”

That candid remark struck me. Despite my confidence, he saw through my small anxieties. From then on, I learned to relax too. My students and I became not just teacher and learners, but friends exploring language and culture together.

Who Studies Chinese at the UN?

Many confuse the Chinese Language Program with the Chinese Translation Section. The former teaches Chinese, while the latter translates official documents.

The UN has six official languages—Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish. To promote multilingualism, diplomats and staff are encouraged to learn languages, including Chinese. At the UN Learning Centre, the Chinese Program offers two types of courses:

• Regular courses (Levels 1–9, following CEFR standards)
• Electives (focused on skills such as speaking, writing, characters, or listening)

Each term, around 200 students enroll. They generally fall into three groups:

1. Diplomats – motivated by work needs, though busy schedules often disrupt attendance.
2. UN staff – from junior clerks to senior officers, learning for work, interest, or even relaxation.
3. Retirees – the most dedicated group, always early, asking endless questions, and finishing homework with zeal.

Teaching such a mixed class—different ages, ranks, nationalities, and learning motives—requires both universal lessons and customized strategies. I often researched students’ backgrounds, adjusted teaching to their needs, and maintained engagement with WeChat groups, multimedia, and real-life practice (like field trips to Chinatown).

The Challenge of Chinese

For English speakers, Chinese is classified by the U.S. Foreign Service Institute as one of the hardest languages, requiring 2,200 hours to master, compared to only 600 hours for French or Spanish.

This means progress is slow, and few reach high fluency despite completing all 9 levels. But many students don’t mind. For them, learning Chinese is less about perfection and more about enjoying the process—discovering Chinese culture, philosophy, and way of thinking.

For example, when explaining Chinese word order—“time + place + verb”—I connected it with the cultural idea of “Heaven, Earth, and Humanity” (天时、地利、人和). Once students saw the cultural logic, they exclaimed:

“Now it makes sense! Chinese grammar is full of wisdom!”

Language plus culture always worked better than drills alone.

Stories of Dedication

One student, the UN Chief of Protocol, once asked me why he no longer scored 100 on tests. I gently explained:

“It’s not because I’m stricter, but because you’re learning harder material. That means you’re still improving.”

He later showed me his homework—written on the back of an agenda sheet from the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. He had used every spare moment, even on planes, to practice Chinese. During a state visit, he was the only official able to speak Chinese, earning personal praise from President Xi. His dedication moved me deeply.

Whether diplomats or senior officials, in the classroom they became students again—serious, competitive, and eager for feedback.

Blended Learning: A UN Experiment

Because UN staff often travel and work remotely, the Language Centre began experimenting with blended learning—combining in-person and online teaching. I was fortunate to be the first Chinese teacher to pilot it.

Online tools helped overcome time and space barriers, allowed shy students to ask questions privately, and gave access to learners in other UN offices like Nairobi or Vienna. But some still preferred the warmth of face-to-face classes, where they could escape their office routine and fully immerse in Chinese.

Later, during COVID-19, when online teaching became the global norm, my UN experience made me far more prepared than most teachers back in China.

Reflections

My three years at the UN taught me that students—no matter their nationality, rank, or age—seek not only knowledge but also connection. Through Chinese, they found resonance, identity, and joy. For me, teaching at the UN was not just about spreading language, but about building cultural bridges, one class at a time.

 About the Author

Yue Yan is an Associate Professor of International Chinese Education at Beijing Language and Culture University, and supervisor of master’s students. She holds a PhD in Chinese Historical Linguistics from Tsinghua University and has served as a visiting scholar in the U.S. She worked at the UN Headquarters in New York from 2013–2016 as a Chinese language instructor, where she also served as a judge for various international Chinese competitions. Her research and teaching focus on Chinese linguistics, pedagogy, and cultural communication.