Its purpose is to develop Chinese language and culture teaching and research in UCC, Cork and Munster region and to increase mutual understanding between the peoples of China and Ireland.

With the support of Cork City Council, Shanghai Municipal City Government, and the strong recommendation of the Chinese Embassy in Ireland, the Chinese Language Council International (CLCI) approved UCC and Shanghai University's application to establish the UCC Confucius Institute. Mr Zhang Xinsen, the Chinese Ambassador to Ireland, on behalf of CLCI,  signed the agreement with UCC on October 24th 2007.

Today (Wednesday, November 14th 2007), a delegation from Shanghai University, led by its Vice President, Professor Wu Song and UCC's President, Dr Michael Murphy, signed the Agreement between the two universities.   

According to the Agreement, the CLCI  and Shanghai University will provide the UCC Confucius Institute with the following major support:

• 3,000 volumes of books, audio-visual, and multimedia materials
• Two Chinese language and culture teaching staff each year to be based at UCC
• Multimedia and other teaching materials, supplementary materials, and audio-visual materials authorized by the Headquarters; and to authorize the use of online courses
• 100,000 US Dollars as a start-up fund.

The CLCI is composed of members from 12 Chinese State Ministries and Commissions.  It is a non-governmental and non-profit organisation affiliated to the Ministry of Education of China.  Its aim is to make teaching resources and services of Chinese language available worldwide, meet the demands of overseas Chinese learners and contribute to the formation of a world of cultural diversity and harmony.

Dr Michael Murphy, President of UCC said: "This is a major development for Chinese Studies in UCC and Ireland. The Confucius Institute will develop stronger educational, cultural and commercial links between Ireland and China and further enhance a mutual understanding, in particular, between Shanghai and Cork."

Councillor Donal Counihan, Lord Mayor of Cork will meet with the Shanghai University Delegation during the course of the two-day visit. The delegation will also have discussions with representatives of UCC's Department of Computer Science, Food Science, Geography, and College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences to explore future co-operation in different disciplines with UCC.

The UCC Confucius Institute will be located in the Irish Institute of Chinese Studies in the O'Rahilly Building, UCC.

Pictured at the signing of an Agreement between University College Cork (UCC) and Shanghai University for the establishment of the UCC Confucius Institute are:  Dr Michael Murphy, President, UCC and Professor Wu Song, Vice-President, Shanghai University.  

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