The 15th anniversary of the Confucius Institute: still going strong!

Who says university evokes the universal, universality, the universe ... It is therefore in the very nature of a university to open its horizon to that of the world and the universe, and therefore to that of China and of its culture. The USJ is not afraid of the horizon. Here, the Confucius Institute was founded in 2006 at Saint Joseph University in Beirut. The fruit of a close collaboration with Shenyang Normal University proudly celebrates its 15th anniversary and resolutely continues its path to accomplish its dual mission: being a center for learning the Chinese language for children, schools, USJ students, company employees, etc..  and a cultural center that offers, in Beirut and in USJ regional campuses, various activities such as cooking, traditional music, martial arts, theater, etc.. The Chinese garden located in the Campus of Human Sciences, where presides the bust of Confucius, is a symbolic witness to this cultural presence.

The Confucius Institute project vigorously continues with a new five-year agreement recently signed with Shenyang Normal University under the aegis of the Chinese International Education Foundation. This foundation replaced the famous Hanban who administered the five hundred Confucius Institutes around the world. Let us seize this opportunity to commend the tremendous efforts of Dr. Antoine Hokayem who successfully directed the Institute during the first fifteen years before handing it over to Dr. Nisrine Lattouf.

The Confucius Institute, a wonderful Sino-Lebanese place of cultural exchange and the learning of a beautiful language through which, we wish USJ a bright future and hope further developments of its programs for the greater good.

Salim Daccache s.j., Rector of USJ