about us
Our mission and overarching goal is to Strengthen Ireland-China Relations
who we are?
Founded in 2012 by Pat and Chang McCarthy, the Ireland Sino Institute also trading as the Europe Sino Institute is a non-political organization dedicated to deepening cooperation and mutual understanding between Ireland and China.
With operations in both countries, the Institute follows a dual-office model:
🇨🇳 The China office, based in rural Northeast China, is a registered non-profit focused on education, cultural exchange, and philanthropy.
Funded initially through the McCarthys’ life savings, it delivers free or affordable English education to students in underserved areas, creating life-changing opportunities where they are needed most.🇮🇪 The Ireland office serves as a hub for tourism promotion, international cooperation, and bilateral business engagement between Ireland, Europe and China.
In this photo, from left to right, we see Pat McCarthy from the Ireland Sino Institute , Minister Eamonn Ryan, and Ambassador for Ireland to China Ann Derwin at a St. Patrick’s Day Event held at the Irish embassy in Beijing in 2023.
our values
Collaboration
At the Ireland Sino Institute, we champion collaboration to boost tourism, trade, education, cultural exchange, and investment, fortifying ties between Ireland and China.
Supporting the disadvantaged
Since its inception in 2012, the Ireland Sino Institute has been dedicated to enhancing education for disadvantaged children in rural China. The owners have invested their life savings and provided scholarships to ensure that all those who cannot afford an education can benefit from this mission.
equal development
The Ireland Sino Institute champions equal development, bridging rural-urban disparities in China through the promotion of various initiatives encompassing education, trade, tourism, exchanges and foreign investment.
Diaspora Compassion
Understanding the challenges and hurdles faced by diaspora communities, the Ireland Sino Institute supports the Irish community in China and the Chinese community in Ireland. We offer initiatives such as advocacy, educational programs, and essential guidance on navigating local infrastructure and services, all tailored to their unique needs.
meet our team
Chang Mccarthy
Chang McCarthy has made significant contributions to Sino-Irish relations through her dedication to education, gender equality and public welfare in rural Northeast China.
As a leader of the Changtu Women’s Federation, she has championed equal opportunities for women and girls, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Her commitment to rural education has helped expand access to quality learning through charitable initiatives that have brought Irish educators to underserved communities, enriching children’s educational experiences and creating opportunities they might otherwise never have had.
Chang is also a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and leads its public welfare department in Changtu County, Liaoning Province, where she has dedicated considerable efforts to supporting some of society’s most vulnerable and overlooked communities.
Her extensive outreach work has taken her into remote rural areas, where access to hospitals, essential services and basic amenities can be extremely limited. She has worked to support people living in poverty, individuals who are blind, deaf or living with disabilities, and elderly or isolated residents who may have no family or caregivers to rely upon.
For Chang, public welfare goes beyond providing assistance; it means reaching those who are too often forgotten and ensuring that even the most isolated individuals are treated with dignity, compassion and care.
Through her leadership in education, philanthropy and community welfare, Chang continues to strengthen Ireland–China relations. Her initiatives create meaningful opportunities for cultural exchange and open new windows of mutual understanding.
By bringing Irish teachers into rural Chinese classrooms, she provides disadvantaged children with educational and cultural experiences they might otherwise never have. These initiatives also offer Irish educators the opportunity to serve, share their knowledge and contribute to local communities.
Irish teachers also gain firsthand experience of Chinese traditions, values and ways of life. These experiences broaden their perspectives and help them develop their Mandarin language skills.
This two-way exchange fosters lasting friendships, challenges misconceptions and strengthens the shared values of compassion, generosity and social responsibility that connect Ireland and China.
Pat mcCarthy
For Pat McCarthy, an Irishman whose life has become deeply connected with China, the journey began long before he ever set foot in the country.
Growing up in a modest Irish family, Pat remembers a charity truck collecting clothes for disadvantaged children in rural China. Rather than donating his old clothes, he would often pack some of his best, believing that those in need deserved more than simply what others no longer wanted.
Another defining childhood experience came when a fire destroyed Jade Garden, a local restaurant run by a Chinese immigrant family. Uninsured and devastated, the family lost their livelihood overnight. Moved by their suffering, Pat and his family helped clear the wreckage and welcomed them into their home.
These early experiences shaped his lifelong connection with China and commitment to helping others. After working in South Korea, Pat relocated to rural Northeast China. In 2012, he and his wife invested their life savings in establishing a non-profit school.
Driven by a commitment to bridging the educational divide between urban and rural communities, they set out to create greater opportunities for disadvantaged children. Their initiatives have since provided quality education to over 100,000 children in rural China, including thousands of free and subsidised scholarships.
Their efforts have also included recruiting Irish teachers to enhance English-language education and promote cultural exchange in rural Chinese communities.
Having lived and worked in China, Pat is passionate about challenging misinformation and promoting a more balanced understanding of the country.
Today, as Chair of the Ireland Sino Institute, also operating as the Europe Sino Institute, he works to strengthen Ireland–China and Europe–China relations through education, media, philanthropy, culture, tourism, business and international cooperation.
