China’s Confucius Institute to start operating at UMS next year

KOTA KINABALU: China’s Confucius Institute (CI) is scheduled to start its operations at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) campus here early next year.

The university’s Strategic and Corporate Communications Center (PPSKK) in a statement yesterday said the establishment of the institute was approved last month by Hanban, the Chinese government agency that manages the CI.

The statement said further discussions with Hanban were held by a UMS delegation headed by the chairman of the board, Datuk K Y Mustafa at the 13th Confucius Institute conference at Chengdu, China, recently.

It was decided at the conference that was attended by more than 2,000 delegates from around the world, that the implementation and inauguration of this institute at UMS would be scheduled for early next year.

PPSKK said UMS was the third higher education institution and the second public university in Malaysia to establish the CI and UMS is also among some 510 institutions with the Confucius Institute in 127 countries.

“The main role of the institute is to contribute to Mandarin learning and cultural exchange with China. In the context of UMS, this institute can benefit UMS students and local communities in Sabah.

“Part of the operating costs of this institute will be borne by Hanban. UMS wishes to thank the various parties in Malaysia as well as in China for their support and contributions that ultimately lead to the success of establishing the Confucius Institute at UMS, “the statement said.

For the record, two other higher education institutions in Malaysia with the CI are University Malaya and Segi University.