|
Confucius Institute at the University of Ulster
(CIUU) is a jointly-established institute by Communication University of Zhejiang in Hangzhou and University
of Ulster (UI) in Northern
Ireland. It is the only Confucius Institute in Britain for Universities of
Zhejiang Province and is bound to become an important channel of exchange and
cooperation between Zhejiang
Province and Northern
Ireland.
The bid for CIUU was firstly approved in July,
2011 by Hanban, the headquarters of Confucius Institute which is affiliated to
Chinese Ministry of Education. On 13th April 2012, an opening ceremony and
Chinese Culture Week was officially launched in Jordanstown campus of University of Ulster. Madame Liu Yandong, Chinese Vice Premier, State Councilor
attended the ceremony and jointly unveiled the plaque for the Confucius
Institute together with Northern Ireland First Minister Mr. Peter Robinson and
Deputy First Minister Mr. Martin Mcguinness.
|
  
|
|
While having its administrative headquarters in Coleraine, CIUU also sets up its offices in the University's Belfastcampus. At present, the offices and teaching sites for CIUU covers an area of about 1204.7 square meters. The director of CIUU on British party is Mr. Pol O’Dochartaigh, the Dean of Faculty of Arts of Ulster and on Chinese party is Mr.Shao Hongsong, the Deputy Director of International Office in CUZ. Mrs. Yan Liu is the executiveUK director. In 2012, Professor Cui Bo from School of Journalism and Communications and Professor Liu Zhihong from School of Literature of ZUMC have become the first Hanban teachers at CIUU. The first two volunteer teachers, Miss Yu Kaiqi and Miss Huang Jieyi, both graduates form the School of Literatre, arrived in Northern Ireland in October, 2013.
In July 2013, the headquarters of Confucius Institute approved the application of CIUU to establish 8 Confucius Classrooms (CC) in Northern Ireland: CC at Aquinas Grammar School, CC at Bangor Academy & Sixth Form College, CC at Downshire School, CC at Grosvenor Grammar School, CC at Lumen Christi College, CC at Millburn Primary School, CC at South West College and CC at St Columb's College.
Before the establishment of CIUU, University of Ulster has accumulated plenty of experience in Chinese language teaching. The Chinese related programs currently offered by the University of Ulster include Bachelor Diploma in Chinese and Master in Professional Translation in which Chinese is a compulsory course.
Both CUZ and University of Ulster welcomed the setting up of the CIUU and look forward to the relationship between China and Northern Ireland flourishing through the work of the universities through CIUU across all levels – academically, commercially and culturally. CIUU is committed to strengthening Chinese-Northern Irelandrelations by teaching of Chinese language at University of Ulster, in primary and post-primary schools and in enterprises in service of the wider public in Northern Ireland. CIUU shall endeavor to promote awareness of Chinese language and culture across Northern Ireland and to help develop teaching and research and business links between China and Northern Ireland.
|