UT will soon gain an incredible new outlet for connecting the campus directly to China in the form of the Confucius Institute.

The Confucius Institute is a non-profit program that provides resources throughout the U.S. and abroad for both credit and non-credit courses in Chinese language and culture, helps sponsor cultural events and works as a means to connect the universities directly with China. UT is the third university in Tennessee to have one.

Having an institute on campus was a collaborative effort between UT; Southeast University in Nanjing, China; and HANBAN, a subsidiary of the Chinese Ministry of Education. The Institute’s head office will be housed in the International House, with Dr. Shih-Lung Shaw, a geography professor, serving as the inaugural director.

“When UT was first applying for a Confucius Institute, I was not heavily involved,” Shaw said of his hiring as the Institute’s director. “But since I served as the department head of geography … and also over the years, I’ve been involved in building up these kind of extensive relationships with different universities in China and these kind of agreements with UT … that’s how I got this job.”

Shaw said that the Confucius Institute will not only be a resource for those studying Chinese language and culture, but it will also be a resource to other departments and organizations at UT. He cited examples such as working with the College of Business Administration to connect UT business majors with students in China who are studying business, working with the study abroad program and helping sponsor events related to Chinese culture.

Shaw also explained that the Confucius Institute will not only serve the university’s students and faculty, also but the community at large. The non-credit courses will be available for the general public to take. Initially, the courses would consist of basic, intermediate and business Chinese language courses. Shaw estimated that these classes would be conducted around ten times a semester and cost around $10 per class.

“So hopefully, this will be a win-win situation … to the UT community,” Shaw said. “We are not just limiting this just to … Chinese language and culture. In fact, we would like to be there for the Confucius Institute so that everyone can be involved.”

A ribbon cutting ceremony commemorating the grand opening of the institute will be at 3:30 p.m. on April 12 in front of the I-House. Chancellor Jimmy Cheek, System President Joe DiPietro, administrators from Southeast University and other campus dignitaries will be in attendance. Refreshments will be served afterward.

Later at 7:30 p.m., a variety of performers from both UT and Southeast University will take the stage in the Alumni Memorial Building’s Cox Auditorium. The “East Meets West” performance will feature traditional Chinese performers, WUOT employee Todd Steed and his bluegrass band and members of the UT Jazz Program.

Both of the events are free and open to the public. Parking for the ribbon cutting can be found in the Lake Avenue parking garage; Staff Lot 9 can be used for the “East Meets West” performance.

UT started the process of getting a Confucius Institute on campus around 2 years ago. However, with two Institutes already in place at the University of Memphis and Middle Tennessee State University, that process was not immediately successful.

“So for a while, the HANBAN office, the Confucius Institute headquarters, was thinking whether or not we really needed three Confucius Institutes in the state of Tennessee,” Shaw said with a laugh. “But because we are the flagship university, and also because there’s no Confucius Institute in East Tennessee, HANBAN eventually decided it’s a good idea to have Confucius Institute at UT in Knoxville.”

Qi Fu, a graduate teaching assistant at the I-House, will be at the inaugural ceremony providing translation assistance to those coming from China to the ceremony. For Fu, the Confucius Institute is not only a good educational resource but also a fascinating prospect for the university to be working across borders with China.

“It’s a really honorable thing that’s happening for both UT and Southeast University and China,” the human resource management grad student said. “This is collaboration between a U.S. institution and a Chinese institution, so it will be interesting to see how it’s going to proceed.”

And Fu isn’t the only I-House staff member looking forward to the Confucius Institute being opened. Michaela Clements and Cameron Hensley, both student assistants at the I-House minoring in Chinese, were both excited for the Confucius Institutes presence at the I-House for the opportunities it could provide to those studying Chinese.

“Well it’s definitely a good thing,” Clements, a junior Spanish and global business major, said, “… considering there’s not a lot of options for students who want to learn Chinese.”

Hensley was also looking forward to the ribbon cutting ceremony so that he could see the institute finally open.

“I’m definitely excited for it,” Hensley, a freshmen accounting major, Chinese minor said. “I’ve gotten to see it slowly build up … and all the work that’s been put in to getting ready for it, so I’m definitely excited.”

“It’s a really honorable thing that’s happening for both UT and Southeast University and China,” the human resource management grad student said. “This is collaboration between a U.S. institution and a Chinese institution, so it will be interesting to see how it’s going to proceed.”

And Fu isn’t the only I-House staff member looking forward to the Confucius Institute being opened. Michaela Clements and Cameron Hensley, both student assistants at the I-House minoring in Chinese, were both excited for the Confucius Institutes presence at the I-House for the opportunities it could provide to those studying Chinese.

“Well it’s definitely a good thing,” Clements, a junior Spanish and global business major, said, “… considering there’s not a lot of options for students who want to learn Chinese.”

Hensley was also looking forward to the ribbon cutting ceremony so that he could see the institute finally open.

“I’m definitely excited for it,” Hensley, a freshmen accounting major, Chinese minor said. “I’ve gotten to see it slowly build up … and all the work that’s been put in to getting ready for it, so I’m definitely excited.”