Key to China - New Confucius Institute in Szeged

More than 70 cities have angled for establishing a new Confucius Institute, but only Szeged have succeeded.
The institute will open in September and there is no doubt about the various facilities and benefits it will provide for the students, local businesses and residents of Szeged. The themes of the recent conference in the town hall were the strenghtening relationships between Hungary and China, Szeged and Shanghai.

The parliamentary representative, István Újhelyi stated, that if we want to cut in the chase for Chinese business, economic and diplomatic relations we have to 'learn China' and understand the Chinese way of thinking. He also mentioned that he appeciates the efforts of the present-day government for establishing better relations with Chinese partners. Besides these he claims that due to our Asian ancestors we have a better chance for creating strong contacts with Chinese partners.

It is a huge accomplishment that out of 70 applicants, Szeged can have the opportunity to host a new Confucius Institute. The mayor expects economic and cultural development in Szeged.

Confucius Institutes are non-profit public institutions aligned with the Government of the People's Republic of China that aim to promote Chinese language and culture, support local Chinese teaching internationally, and facilitate cultural exchanges.

Confucius Institute (CI) headquarters are located in Beijing, and the program is overseen by the Office of Chinese Language Council International (Hanban), a non-profit organization affiliated with the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China and the United Front Work Department. The institutes operate in co-operation with local affiliate colleges and universities around the world, and financing is shared between Hanban and the host institutions.

The related Confucius Classroom program partners with local secondary schools or school districts to provide teachers and instructional materials. It provides opportunities to study Chinese culture and language for those who are interested.