UK Confucius Institute Partners With Transy to Open Confucius Classroom

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 22, 2017) — The University of Kentucky Confucius Institute (UKCI) recently inaugurated a Confucius Classroom at Transylvania University in Lexington, on Jan. 30, 2017. The opening of the classroom makes Transy the second regional college to partner with UK Confucius Institute, with Asbury University being the first.

The Confucius Classroom is a program under the Confucius Institute for students and communities to learn about Chinese language and Chinese culture. In particular, the Confucius Classroom provides opportunities and resources for students to study Chinese language and culture in a university setting or K-12 school setting.  

The program provides Transylvania a start-up fund of $30,000 to purchase technology, equipment, books and teaching materials on Chinese language and culture. The fund will also be used to contribute to the refurbishing of the Confucius Classroom space. The Confucius Classroom will also receive $10,000 after the start-up year for an annual programming fund.

The new Confucius Classroom also gives Transy students opportunities to participate in study abroad and intern abroad programs in China, along with opportunities to participate in the China Bridge Speech Contest and to apply for Confucius Institute scholarships to study in China.

“The Transylvania University Confucius Classroom is one of the six Confucius Classrooms in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. As of December 2016, there are 1,037 Confucius Classrooms in 140 countries,” said Huajing Maske, director of UKCI and executive director of the Office of China Initiatives. “We at UKCI are privileged to partner with Transylvania University in our endeavor to bridge better understanding between the peoples of China and the United States and to work with faculty and students to foster global competency.”

A gateway for Chinese language, culture and art to the people of Kentucky, UKCI provides leadership, support and coordination for Chinese language and programs in K-12 schools as well as on UK's campus; assists and facilitates establishing and maintaining faculty and student exchanges between UK colleges and Chinese universities; conducts Chinese language and cultural exchange; and promotes education about China on campus, across the Bluegrass region, and throughout the Commonwealth. To keep up with UK Confucius Institute and future events, join the institute's listserv and follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat (@UKConfucius).