The Confucius Institute at San Diego State University celebrated its fifth anniversary by hosting officials from China’s Xiamen University last Monday and declaring an official “Xiamen University Day.”
Exploring San Diego
Several representatives of Xiamen University attended, including Yang Zhenbin, chairman of the Xiamen University Council, Su Zixing, chairman of the Council of Southern Base of the Confucius Institute Headquarters and Huang Chen, section chief of the Office of International Cooperation and Exchange.
Managing director of the Confucius Institute Lilly Cheng said, “Xiamen University has been our academic partner for five years. They hosted an SDSU Day on their campus last year and we hosted a Xiamen University this year on our campus.”
“The two universities are working on a multitude of collaborations in teaching, training, research and faculty/student exchanges,” she continued. “The collaborations will enhance our global outreach and presence.”
The representatives began their San Diego journey on Sept. 28 with a “Taste of Asia” event in Balboa Park alongside members of the Confucius Institute. The next morning, they visited the Barnard Asian Language Academy, before heading to SDSU.
Prestigious Recognitions
They attended a luncheon at the alumni center alongside President Elliot Hirshman, Provost and Senior Vice President Chukuka S. Enwemeka, and Anthony George, a representative of Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s office. Also in attendance were College of Arts and Letters Dean Paul Wong and Cheng.
At the luncheon, Hirshman presented Zhenbin with a Global Leadership Award, recognizing Xiamen University for “outstanding contributions to the promotion of global education.”
SDSU and Xiamen University
SDSU’s relationship with Xiamen University began in 2006 and continues to grow today through various study abroad programs, cultural exchanges and summer workshops. President Hirshman visited the campus in April 2013 to celebrate Xiamen University’s “SDSU Day.”
“This is an important day in SDSU history,” he remarked in his luncheon speech. “Xiamen University Day celebrates the strong bond between Xiamen University and SDSU. The work we do together benefits our students, faculty and staff. It strengthens our cultural understanding that is so important in today’s global world.”
The Confucius Institute at SDSU works to promote development of Chinese language education in San Diego schools, primarily through teacher trainings. The program also strives to increase educational cooperation between China and the United States.