2010 press releases
Posted 12 February 2010
Chinese New Year Celebrations get off to Roaring Start at AIT
One hundred and fifty Chinese students at the institute were joined for the evening by students and researchers from throughout Ireland and the rest of the world. The revellers dined on a sumptuous meal featuring stir-fried beef, shrimp, barbecued ribs, dumplings and chicken with sweet chilli sauce.
Mary Simpson, Director of International Relations at AIT, said that “the evening provides an opportunity to celebrate Chinese culture and to enjoy the festivities around the commencement of their new year. It also enables students from Beijing, Nanjing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Dalian and other parts of China to create an atmosphere of home away from home. The Chinese new year party is one of the most enjoyable events in the international calendar at AIT,” she said.
AIT President, Prof. Ciarán Ó Catháin, said that the international student community contributes enormously to the vibrancy of college life in Athlone. “Creating an international campus here in Athlone has been a priority for the past ten years and the investment we have made in attracting students from around the globe is yielding genuine dividends. As a learning organisation we all benefit from experiencing different perspectives and approaches, which contributes greatly to the education and formation of our students,” he commented.
Athlone Institute of Technology has one of the highest percentages of international students of any Irish higher education institution. Some ten per cent of full-time learners at AIT come from overseas. Students from China form the largest group amongst the international cohort at the institute.
The Tiger is the third sign in the Chinese zodiac cycle and is a sign of bravery. People that are born in the Year of the Tiger are said to be charismatic and outgoing by nature.
