March 18, 2015
Celebrating our Kansas State University Confucius Institute grand opening on April 7
Please join in celebrating our Kansas State University Confucius Institute grand opening from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 7, at the K-State Alumni Center.
Kansas State University Provost April Mason and Office of International Programs Associate Provost Marcelo Sabates announce the official grand opening for the Kansas State University Confucius Institute. Max Lu, K-State professor of geography, was appointed as interim director of the Kansas State Confucius Institute in December.
A delegation of Chinese dignitaries from Jilin University and the Chinese Consulate in Chicago are attending this inaugural event to which we also are inviting our campus community, business, education and government officials. Numerous activities planned for the day will highlight opportunities to learn about Chinese culture, how Confucius Institutes operate and enjoy a dynamic cultural performance at the end of the day.
The grand opening's schedule:
11 a.m. Boeing Executive Steven Wade will present "Understanding China in Order to do Business in China"
11:45 a.m. Lunch
1:30-2:30 p.m. Formal Confucius Opening Ceremony unveiling of official plaque and formal remarks featuring President Kirk Schulz, Provost April Mason, Office of International Programs Provost Marcelo Sabates, Max Lu, Confucius Institute interim director and additional presenters.
2:30-3:30 p.m. Confucius Institute Round Table "U.S. Confucius Institute Success Panel" with participants Sheree Willis, director of the University of Kansas Confucius Institute; Deborah Trott Pierce, director of the Webster University Confucius Institute; and Joan Brzezinski, director of the University of Minnesota Confucius Institute.
3:45-5 p.m. Confucius scholar presentation "Confucius, The Man, His Ideas and their Enduring Significance" by David Graff, K-State professor of history.
7 p.m. Chinese cultural performance and talent show "The Sound and Color of China — A Cultural Celebration."
Confucius Institutes promote, enhance and elevate understanding of the Chinese language and culture, as well as create exchanges between Chinese and U.S. academic institutions and communities. The Confucius Institute at Kansas State University also plans to focus on promoting research collaborations in animal health and food safety.
Each Confucius Institute creates a partnership with a Chinese university to further China-U.S. related initiatives. Kansas State University's Chinese partner is Jilin University, a leading national research university in Changchun, the capital city of Jilin Province in northeast China.
For the past 10 years, Jilin University and Kansas State University have established close relationships of cooperation and conducted extensive academic exchange activities in the areas of arts, engineering, agriculture and veterinary medicine.
The Confucius institute will be located on the second floor of Wildcat Landing at 1800 Claflin Road, adjacent to the International Technology Commons, however all events on April 7 will occur at the K-State Alumni Center.
To RSVP for the Confucius Institute events please email confucius@k-state.edu.