The Hindu : New Delhi News : And now a Confucius Institute for JNU

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Saturday, Apr 09, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

And now a Confucius Institute for JNU

By Anjali Dhal Samanta

NEW DELHI, APRIL 8. As India awaits the Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao's visit to Delhi this week with a full platter, the first course has already begun.

For starters, here is a small but significant initiative for the student community at Jawaharlal Nehru University here: a brand new Confucius Institute.

Proposed by the Chinese Ministry of Education, the Institute is likely to be located at the Chinese Centre that forms part of JNU's School of Languages, Literature and Culture Studies.

An agreement in this regard is likely to be signed before the Premier arrives. Part of the Chinese Education Ministry's initiative to address the growing need in this country to learn the language and understand Chinese culture, the Institute will offer short-term language courses. One of the highlights of the Institute would be the opportunity to have a native speaker as part of the faculty.

Also, the Institute would be equipped with a multi-media language laboratory, which would be a first for the University.

The space for such a laboratory has already been allotted in a new building. While JNU boasts of language laboratories, the novelty here would be that each student would be provided with multi-media facility.

More than just language, the Institute is also envisaged as a centre to spread awareness among students about Chinese culture.

Events like symposia, film shows, cultural festivals and seminars are likely to be organised by the Institute.

"We are very pleased with this proposal. We would like to strengthen Chinese studies in our University. And we hope that the demand for this will grow in future. China is a priority area as far as India is concerned. Right now, the demand for such courses is not as much as our relations with China require,'' says the JNU Rector, Balveer Arora.

"Things are being worked out. An agreement of cooperation has been finalised. For the moment, it just states the expression of intent. A lot of things have to be put in place before students can be admitted to the Institute. The courses have to be devised and cleared by the Administration. It would take at least a semester before things are ready to roll,'' adds a senior JNU official.

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