Our Graduate Onur Ege Begins Chinese Studies at Beijing's BFSU

Onur Ege Türksal, a 2025 graduate of the Department of English Translation and Interpreting at İzmir University of Economics, is set to study Chinese at Beijing Foreign Studies University, one of China’s top language institutions. Following his undergraduate studies, he plans to broaden his language repertoire and deepen his intercultural communication skills. In light of the growing global influence of Chinese language and culture, Onur Ege shared the motivation behind his decision:

"During my undergraduate studies in IUE Department of English Translation and Interpreting, I gained a multilingual perspective through both our core courses and the required foreign language courses. I chose French as my second foreing language and Chinese as my third. Although the unfamiliar writing system and structure of Chinese felt intimidating at first, I was genuinely excited to take on the challenge.

I attended Chinese classes for one semester at university, but through self-study, I earned the HSK 2 certificate, which exempted me from the following levels. However, I didn’t want to settle for learning the language at just an exam level. I believe Chinese is one of the most important languages today, not only for its cultural richness, but also due to its growing role in global economics and diplomacy. As Chinese increasingly becomes a language of commerce, developing a strong and competent command of it will give me a significant advantage in both my academic and professional life.

Thanks to my involvement in university clubs and international projects, I had the opportunity to see how transformative connecting with different cultures can be. Experiencing Chinese culture firsthand, strengthening my intercultural skills, and using the language in real-life social settings are all deeply valuable to me.

That’s what led me to apply to BFSU in Beijing, and I was thrilled to be accepted. Its strong focus on language education and its impressive alumni network, which includes many diplomats and international professionals, made it a natural choice. BFSU also offers graduate programs aligned with my field, so I hope to continue there after completing the language program. Over the next year, I plan to build my Chinese proficiency to an advanced level and apply to fully funded master’s programs.

Through my undergraduate education, I came to realize that learning a language is more than memorizing vocabulary and grammar, it offers a way of seeing the world and thinking differently. I believe this journey will be a step that contributes to my personal growth as much as to my academic career."

We wish Onur Ege Türksal all the best on this exciting international journey, and hope that his passion for language learning and intercultural connection continues to inspire us all.