The Official Launch Ceremony of Confucius Institute of Suez Canal University in Egypt Undertaken by NCEPU

Publishing time:2008-04-10    Viewer:

On April 1st 2008, Confucius Institute of Suez Canal University in Egypt undertaken by our school was inaugurated officially. The delegation of our school, headed by Hao Yingjie, vice party secretary, attended the unveiling ceremony. Wu Chunhua, the ambassador of China Embassy in Egypt, Li Jingfang, cultural secretary, Lin Fengmin, education commissioner, Mr. M. El-zoghbi, president of Suez Canal University, Mr. Ali El Zayat, vice-president and dean of Confucius Institute and 200 representatives of teachers and students were present at the ceremony.

    In the opening speech, vice party secretary Hao Yingjie first expressed sincere appreciation to the Office of Chinese Language Council International, China Embassy in Egypt and Suez Canal University for their gracious support and assistance to the establishment of Confucius Institute. As the undertaking part, NCEPU will provide more excellent Chinese teachers for Suez Canal University to improve its Chinese language teaching. And by holding various forms of Chinese teaching and cultural activities, the Confucius Institute of Suez Canal University can offer more Egyptians a more convenient platform for Chinese studying and a window to know more about Chinese culture. We are convinced that with the joint efforts of our two universities and under the gracious support of the Office of Chinese Language Council International and China Embassy in Egypt, the Confucius Institute will contribute a lot to promoting all-dimensional and multi-layered language teaching in Egypt, encouraging the communication and cooperation between China and Egypt in the fields of economy, education and culture and enhancing the understanding and friendship between our two peoples.

    The ambassador Wu Chunhua first extended congratulations to the official launch of Confucius Institute of Suez Canal University. And he expressed that with further reform and opening and the rapid development of social economy, Chinese will be more and more popular with the world. The establishment of Confucius Institute of Suez Canal University also embodies further communication in education and culture between two countries. It plays a vital role in promoting Chinese language and culture teaching in northeast Egypt, carrying out the research on contemporary China and strengthening the friendship between two peoples.

    President M. El-zoghbi said that China and Egypt had long history and enjoyed a time-honored friendship. As China developed increasingly, Egyptian people increase their interests in China and therefore Chinese language learning and perception on China have become common practice. With the setting up of Confucius Institute, the platform for Chinese language learning is built for more Egyptians, which will open a window for them to know Chinese language, culture and history.

    After the unveiling ceremony, the ambassador Wu Chunhua, accompanied by president M. El-zoghb and vice-president of Suez Canal University, Hao Yingjie, vice party secretary of NCEPU and so on, visited Confucius Institute and inspected the hardware facilities and equipment. At last, they watched entertainment performance well-rehearsed by teachers and students of Suez Canal University.

    The headquarters of Confucius Institute, the Office of Chinese Language Council International and Confucius Institute of Cairo University, sent letters to congratulate the official launch of Confucius Institute of Suez Canal University. On the unveiling ceremony, the ambassador Wu Chunhua, representing China Embassy in Egypt presented many teaching facilities such as computer, TV and so on and hundreds of Chinese books to Confucius Institute. On behalf of NCEPU, vice party secretary Hao Yingjie, also presented Chinese books to them.

    Currently, Confucius Institute of Suez Canal University undertaken by our university is the second one following the establishment of Confucius Institute in Cairo University in Egypt. It is located on the fifth floor of the Students´ Activity Center on the main campus of Suez Canal University, Ismailia Campus. The construction area is around 1000 square meters, where multimedia classrooms, computer rooms, reading rooms, teachers’ lesson-preparing offices, kitchens, conference rooms, dean’s office and so on have already been equipped. After the ceremony, the delegation of NCEPU negotiated with Suez Canal University on the further work plan of Confucius Institute.

    During the visit in Egypt, the delegation paid a special visit to School of Humanities and Confucius Institute of Cairo University and also discussed the development and construction of Confucius Institute with embassy employees.

    Suez Canal University is a comprehensive and key university in Egypt. It was established in 1976 and now has five campuses among which Ismailia Campus is the main campus and 26 schools, such as Business School, School of Science, Medical School, School of Computer and Information, Humanities, Technical Faculty, School of Petroleum Engineering and Mines, School of Industrial Technology Education and so on. There are about 50,000 students and 3000 teachers in total. In 2006, the Department of Chinese Language and Literature was set up in Humanities and there are over 80 students at present.

    During the visit in Suez Canal University, the delegation of NCEPU conducted several panel discussions with the whole School of Humanities and reached a consensus on strengthening cooperation, mutual support and common development between Confucius Institute and Humanities in the future. In addition, they paid a special visit to Technical Faculty of Suez Canal University located in the city of Port Said and had an in-depth discussion on several issues, such as technical teachers’ reciprocal visits, students exchange, academic cooperation and research collaboration.