Unveiling Ceremony of the Model Confucius Institute Held in UCD CII

The Unveiling Ceremony of the Model Confucius Institute was held in the newly completed UCD Confucius Institute for Ireland (CII) building on February 26, 2019. Chinese Vice Minister of Education H.E. Mr. Tian Xuejun, Chinese Ambassador to Ireland H.E. Dr. Yue Xiaoyong, Executive Deputy Director-General of Hanban Professor Ma Jianfei, UCD President Professor Andrew J Deeks, and more than 130 staff members and students from UCD and CII attended the event.

Prior to the ceremony, Prof Andrew Deeks and UCD CII Director Dr Liming Wang accompanied the Chinese delegation on a visit of the 2006-2019 UCD CII Achievement Exhibition and the China in My Eyes Children and Youth Art Competition Exhibition, followed by a visit to the library, where they met students of BComm with Chinese Studies. Mr Tian encouraged the students to put greater effort in Chinese and business studies and to help promote the business and trade development of China and Ireland. The students received bookmarks with lotus flower designs symbolizing Chinese culture as a token. Mr Tian also visited the Chinese class and spoke with students of Chinese language.      

 Vice Minister of Education Tian Xuejun at the art competition exhibition with UCD President Andrew J Deeks and CII Director Prof Liming Wang

President Andrew J. Deeks opened the unveiling ceremony by welcoming the Chinese delegation; he expressed his gratitude to the governments of China and Ireland and the Renmin University of China for their long-standing support for UCD CII. ‘This unique building is a symbol of the collaboration between UCD and China, a symbol of the support that the Irish and Chinese governments offer to this collaboration,’ he said. Chinese Ambassador Dr. Yue Xiaoyong addressed the event and remarked that UCD CII is the role model of the language and cultural cooperation and exchange between China and Ireland, that it is the best recipient of the global model Confucius Institute.

Vice Minister Tian remarked in his speech, ‘UCD CII is one of the earliest global Confucius Institutes as well as one of the first global model Confucius Institutes. The unveiling of the UCD CII model Confucius Institute represents the transition from quantity growth to quality improvement of global Confucius Institutes. We hope to see more support given to UCD CII by UCD and its Chinese partner Renmin University; UCD CII will continue to focus on Chinese teaching while extending its capacity and improving its teaching quality. We are confident that UCD CII will build on its excellent language and cultural service to students and the general public. It is our belief that UCD CII will make new contributions to enhancing and developing the mutually beneficial partnership between China and Ireland.’

Vice Minister Tian Xuejun and Chinese Ambassador Yue Xiaoyong presented certificates to the students with the best YCT and HSK results before the Vice Minister and UCD President Andrew J. Deeks unveiled the Global Model Confucius Institute plaque. The event was completed with a group photo shoot in front of the UCD CII building.