[News from the News Center] On the morning, July 11, Zhao Xianfeng meets delegation from theConfucius Institute at the University of Toledo (UT), USA, guided by Sara Clark, Director of International Affairs Office of the Institute. Chen Guoqiang, YSU Vice President attended the meeting among other directors from YSU International Cooperation Division and School of Arts and Design.
The meeting in session
Zhao Xianfeng speaks at the meeting. (Photographed by Yang Ruoxi, the News Center)
At the beginning, Zhao Xianfeng extended warm welcome to the delegationfrom UTConfucius Institute. He pointed out that this year marks the 40thanniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States, and the 10thanniversary of the establishment of the Confucius Institute jointly built by YSU and UT. This visit and meetingwill promote the development of the Confucius Institute and definitely play an active role inpromoting further pragmatic cooperation between the two universities and the two cities will. Zhao fully affirmed the achievements of the two universities in the joint training of talents, scientific research cooperation, personnel and cultural exchanges for more than 30 years, and expressed his gratitude to UT for its help and support to YSU and the Confucius Institute. He stressed that with the development of the integration ofworld economy, the international exchanges and cooperation between universities are becoming more and deeper. Thus, the internationalization of YSU should also adapt to the goal of becoming a “domestic first-class and world-renowned research university with distinctive features”. Zhao hoped that the two universities would make more efforts to deepen cooperation and enhance exchanges between each other, and believed thatwith the support of UT, the Confucius Institute would embrace a new decade that ismore brilliant. He wished the delegation an unforgettable time at YSU and wished the exchanges and cooperation between the two universities to achieve new results.
Sara Clark speaks at the meeting. (Photographed by GaoMingxi, the News Center)
Sara Clark expressed her gratitude to Zhao Xianfeng and Chen Guoqiang for their warm welcome. She said that the UT has always attached great importance to the friendly relationship with YSU and is willing to continue to run well the Confucius Institute. In the past ten years, the Confucius Institute has developed a lot with the support of YSU and played a very good role in the development of many cooperative projects. She fully affirmed the work of directors of the Chinese affairs and Chinese teacher teamfrom YSUand thanked YSU for its support. She said that the Confucius Institute is trying to promote the exchange of mutual visits and scientific research cooperation of the professors between thetwo universities, establishingthe joint training program for graduate students, selecting more excellent English teachers to YSU and jointly buildingaoverseas practice basefor graduate studentsin international education of Chinese. Sara Clark,on behalf of President Gaber,also invited the YSU delegation to visit the UT to attend the 10thanniversary of the Confucius Institute.
After the meeting, leaders of the YSU International Cooperation Division and the School of Arts and Design held talks with the delegation. The two sides reached consensus onthe arrangements for the celebration of the 10thanniversary of the Confucius Institute, the construction of the overseas practice basefor graduate students in international education of Chinese, the joint training program for graduate students in pedagogy, “2+2” experimental classes and exchanges and communications between the teacher.
During the visit, the International Cooperation Division also arranged a series of activities for visits and exchanges. The delegation observed the classroom of the Discovery Kingdom Kindergarten in Qinhuangbandao, and the culture of Qinhuangdao Great Wall and the artof Chinese painting and calligraphy. The professors from the UT Department of Vision and Performing also presented a piano class for the teachers and students of the School of Arts and Design.
[Translated by Xing Tong]
