Members of the local government, business leaders, local educators, members of the Confucius Institute and Miss North Carolina gathered to celebrate and enhance the growing relationship between N.C. State and China Sept. 18 at Central Carolina Community College.
The following Tuesday the Confucius Institute, which opened at the University in 2007, held a lecture by professor Xiaoying Wang called “Chinese Culture: Experience China.” Wang is here on leave from Nanjing Normal University discussing the origins of Chinese writing, language, philosophy, geography, arts and many other aspects of Chinese culture.
The events were part of an initiative led by the Confucius Institute meant to immerse the University with Chinese culture.
James Zuiches, vice chancellor for the Office of Extension, Engagement and Economic Development, attended both gatherings.
“China, specifically, is important as a major economic trading partner of the U.S. and N.C., but also as the largest nation on earth, it has an extraordinary culture, role in history and potential future in its interaction with the United States,” Zuiches said.
China Program Director and Deputy Director of the Confucius Institute Anna Lamm shares the same excitement for the growing relationship between China and N.C. State as Zuiches.
“N.C. State’s mission is to provide leadership for intellectual, cultural, social, economic and technological development within the state, nation and the world,” she said. “The Confucius Institute embodies this mission by exposing the N.C. State community to diversity and the opportunity to become more globally involved by being exposed to Chinese language and culture.”
“The Confucius Institute’s mission is to enhance intercultural understanding in the U.S. by sponsoring programs in Chinese language and culture,” Lamm said. “N.C. State’s institute will promote the mission through a range of educational and outreach activities to students, teachers, businesses and community members.”
But where does the funding come from for these programs?
“The Confucius Institute programs are funded by the Chinese Government, but it is a cooperative arrangement as N.C. State is the official institution managing the C.I. and supervising the faculty and professionals who are provided by the Hanban, which is China’s Department of Education,” Zuiches said.
Jordan Reynolds, a freshman in engineering, took a three-week trip to China this past July through the Confucius Institute with all expenses paid except for the airfare.
“When I went to China this past summer through the Confucius Institute it was very rewarding,” he said. “Visiting many of China’s most famous sights like the Great Wall and the Forbidden City were unforgettable. I highly recommend it to all students.”
Getting involved in the Confucius Institute is easy. There are non-credit Chinese courses that are half-priced for students and there are international activities, similar to what Reynolds did, that expose the community to different aspects of Chinese culture.
If you want to just dip your feet into the culture of China, Nov. 16 to 20 is International Education Week. During this week you can attend any of these programs listed.
“The Confucius Institute is an outreach program of China to the U.S. Just as many of our N.C. State programs reach out to communities across the state in providing education, forums, technical assistance and experiential non-credit educational opportunities, China is reaching out to states and universities in the U.S. and other countries to provide educational opportunities in language and culture and history,” Zuiches said.
