Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE - The University of Wisconsin-Platteville announced that it has signed an agreement with the The Office of Chinese Language Council International to establish a Confucius Institute on the UWP campus. Governor James Doyle, who was leading a trade mission to Japan and China, was on hand for the signing ceremony held at the China Ministry of Education in Beijing, China, in September.

UWP is the only university in Wisconsin authorized to establish a Confucius Institute, which will provide services to school districts, business and industry, the university community, and the community at large.

In speaking of the Institute, Chancellor Markee noted: "One of the requirements to establish an Institute is the identification and recruitment of a partner institution in China. We're very proud of the relationship that we have established with South-Central University for Nationalities in Wuhan. We are teaming up with SCUN on this initiative.. We see this as a natural expansion of our partnership and of our efforts to develop educational and cultural relations in China. It is a wonderful opportunity for our universities and a testament to the fine work our faculty have been doing."

The Confucius Institute at UWP will concentrate its efforts on providing information, educational programming and consultative services concerning Chinese language, education, culture, economy, history and society. David Van Buren, associate vice chancellor, has been appointed to serve as dean. It is expected that the Confucius Institute at UWP will develop and deliver Mandarin Chinese language courses for various populations; promote research about contemporary China; coordinate student and scholar travel to China; establish local facilities to hold the HSK examination, a Chinese language proficiency test; train teachers to deliver Chinese language instruction and provide them with Chinese language teaching resources; and implement procedures for the certification of Chinese language teachers.

UW-Platteville began the process to establish a Confucius Institute with an exploratory visit to the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China Office of Education in Chicago in March. During that visit, the delegation was invited to submit a proposal to establish an institute through the Chicago office. In May, UWP submitted its proposal, including letters of support from Doyle, U.S. Senator Herb Kohl, UW System president Kevin Reilly, Chancellor of UW Colleges and UW-Extension David Wilson, the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, and the vice president of Asia Operations of Modine Manufacturing, Jim Rulseh. Approval was granted in September and was followed by the signing ceremony in Beijing.

The Confucius Institutes are sponsored by the Office of Chinese Language Council International. They are non-profit education organizations, with a mission "to help the world understand Chinese language and culture, promote friendly relationships between China and the world, and enhance the development of multiculturalism in order to contribute to the building of a harmonious world."

The first Confucius Institute was established in late 2004 in Uzbekistan. The institute at UWP will be the twenty third in the United States. Other institutes in the Midwest are located at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Michigan State University, Purdue University, the University of Iowa and the University of Kansas.

Anyone interested in learning more about the Confucius Institute at UWP may contact Barb Daus, special assistant to the chancellor, at (608) 342-1282 or daus@uwplatt.edu

Contact: Barb Daus, Special Assistant to the Chancellor, (608) 342-1282,daus@uwplatt.edu Prepared by: Evelyn Martens, UWP Public Relations, (608) 342-1194, martense@uwplatt.edu