From July 4 to 7, Professor Elisha Shemang, Vice Chancellor of Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) and Botswana Chair of the Advisory Board of the Confucius Institute at BIUST, led a delegation to visit YSU and participate in the 2024 Annual Advisory Board Meeting of the Confucius Institute at BIUST. Secretary of CPC YSU Committee Zhao Xianfeng and President Zhao Dingxuan met with the delegation respectively. Chen Guoqiang, Vice President and Chinese Chair of the Advisory Board of the Confucius Institute at BIUST, joined the meeting with the delegation and participated in the Annual Advisory Board Meeting.
On the morning of July 5, the 2024 Annual Advisory Board Meeting of the Confucius Institute at BIUST was held in Room 2102 of the Century Building. Chen Guoqiang extended a warm welcome and sincere greetings to the Botswana members of the Advisory Board on behalf of the Chinese members, and expressed hopes that the two sides will deepen mutual understanding and trust, jointly explore new ideas and initiatives for the future development of the Confucius Institute, and promote the education and cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and Botswana to a new level.
Chen Guoqiang delivers a speech
Dr. Tsaone Mokgwathi, a Botswana member of the Advisory Board, represented the Confucius Institute to report to the Board on the work progress since the inauguration, the operation of funds, the work plan for the new academic year and the budget planning. The Advisory Board reviewed these reports one by one. The two sides conducted in-depth exchanges on issues such as the Chinese language teaching at the Confucius Institute, the office construction and the accommodation for the YSU faculty team. They also carried out detailed discussions about the contents of the jointly drafted Implementation Agreement on the Confucius Institute, and further clarified the responsibilities of the Advisory Board, the responsibilities of the Chinese and Botswana Directors, and how to use and manage the funds. After that, the two sides held a ceremony for the signing of the Implementation Agreement on the Confucius Institute. Chen Guoqiang and Elisha Shemang signed the Agreement on behalf of the Chinese and Botswana members of the Advisory Board respectively.
At the Advisory Board Meeting
Signing of the Implementation Agreement on the Confucius Institute
On the afternoon of July 5, the two universities held an exchange meeting on further strengthening inter-university exchanges and cooperation through the platform of Confucius Institute. Leaders and faculty members from the Office of International Cooperation, School of Economics and Management, School of International Education, and School of Civil Engineering and Mechanics participated in the meeting. A number of cooperation intentions were reached. After the meeting, the Botswana members of the Advisory Board also met and had discussions with YSU’s first faculty team assigned to the Confucius Institute who will depart for duty soon. The team is looking forward to their upcoming assignment at the Confucius Institute, hoping to contribute to the cause of international Chinese language education as well as the cooperation between the two universities.
Meeting with the faculty team assigned to the Confucius Institute
During the visit, Elisha Shemang also led the delegation to meet with Zhao Xianfeng and Zhao Dingxuan respectively, and visited YSU’s History Museum, the new library and the Art Museum of the School of Arts and Design to have a better understanding of the history, current situation and campus environment of YSU.
