Lilian Truong
SDSU Daily Aztec
SAN DIEGO (U-WIRE) – The newly established Confucius Institute at San Diego State University aims to strengthen educational cooperation between China and the United States, and to promote the development of Chinese language and cultural education.
“Chinese cultural studies are an endless source of fascination” Kelly Hansen, SDSU lecturer in Asian Pacific Studies, said. “But they are also valuable for those planning careers in business or other fields which may involve contact with China.”
The institute at SDSU was founded in December. The unveiling ceremony will take place on March 26 at 3 p.m. Numerous Chinese officials will attend the ceremony and reception, including Chinese Ambassador in the U.S. Zhou Wenzhong, local politicians, community leaders and business executives who have been invited by President Stephen L. Weber. All students and faculty are invited to attend Ambassador Wenzhong’s lecture on the relationship between China and the U.S. at 1:45 p.m. in Smith Recital Hall.
“The Confucius Institute will provide students with a wider range of opportunities for becoming involved in Chinese studies, both inside and outside the classroom,” Hansen said. “This will be a great resource for Chinese majors as well as students with a general interest in Chinese studies.”
With headquarters in Beijing, the Confucius Institute manages more than 300 institutes worldwide. Currently, there are 36 in the U.S., with four on the West Coast. The institute will serve southern California and Baja California. The College of Arts and Letters has partnered with the College of Extended Studies to provide a comprehensive academic and cultural summer study abroad program at East China Normal University in Shanghai, China, one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world.
