Media Release - For Immediate Release

October 27 2010

Saint Mary's Opens Confucius Institute

At the signing ceremony at Province House, Dr. Zhu Chong Shi, President of Xiamen University in China shakes the hand of Saint Mary's University President, Dr. J. Colin Dodds. In the back (from left) Mr. Mao Tong Wen, Mr. Chen Wenshen, Dr. Leonard Preyra, MLA and Dr. Bill Sewell observe the proceedings.

Saint Mary’s University has established an institute dedicated to Chinese culture, language and business.

Developed in partnership with from Xiamen University, located in southern China, the new Confucius Institute will provide students and the community at large with enhanced opportunities to learn about the Chinese world, including its expertise, language, and culture.

A delegation from Xiamen University was in Halifax recently to launch the teaching and research centre during a special ceremony held at Province House and at the University.

Dr. Zhu Chong Shi, President of Xiamen University, said the Institute will offer programming to students and to the general public ranging from language training to Chinese medicine, painting, calligraphy, business practices, and Tai Chi.

He said it will also be a pivotal information and service point for cooperative initiatives between Chinese and Canadian scholars, students, business people and community-based organizations.

“The establishment of the Centre is the culmination of over 20 years of cooperation, and academic and research exchange between the two universities,” added Saint Mary’s President Dr. J Colin Dodds. “It underscores our commitment to be the university of choice for aspiring citizens of the world.”

Funding for the institute is provided by the Office of the Chinese Language Council International (Hanban), a non-profit organization that promotes Chinese language, culture and history. The university is supplying dedicated office space, room for a resource centre, access to infrastructure and other “in-kind resources”

“The Confucius Institute will become the focus point for those who want to learn about China, or who want to do business there, or who want to learn Chinese, or even for someone of Chinese lineage who wants to learn more about their heritage, said Alain Boulet, Director of International Activities at Saint Mary’s.

Saint Mary’s was selected for the Institute because of its demonstrated expertise in offering Chinese language training and its established links to the Chinese community in Halifax. The University is already recognized as one of the most international campuses in Atlantic Canada with international students making up more than 20 per cent of the student body.

The Institute is located on the second floor of the McNally Building. Bill Sewell is Executive Director. Sewell has taught at the University since 2000. His previous experience includes having taught at post-secondary institutions in Canada, Japan, France, and the United States. He has taught the history of East Asia, encompassing China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Siberia, and Vietnam. His research interests pertain to the modern era in Japanese and Chinese history, focusing especially on urban issues, cultural perspectives, and the history of the Japanese empire.

The first Confucius Institute opened in 2004 in Seoul, Korea, and since then other Institutes have been established in such countries as the United States, Germany, and Sweden where Chinese language and culture is increasingly popular. In all there are about 300 affiliated Institutes in 78 countries. The Saint Mary’s Confucius Institute is the eighth in Canada.

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For More Information:

Steve Proctor
External Affairs
Saint Mary's University
(902) 420.5513
E-mail: steve.proctor@smu.ca
www.smu.ca

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