A Northwestern Pedagogical University Delegation visited the University of Sarajevo

The Confucius Institute at the University of Sarajevo is a unique project of international university cooperation and the contribution of the Chinese and Bosnian academic communities in building good relations between the two countries. The previous activity and achieved results of the Confucius Institute of the University of Sarajevo and the intensification of cooperation were the topics of the meeting of the delegation of the Northwest Pedagogical University from Gansu Province (PR China) and the University of Sarajevo.

On Monday, 15 May 2023, the University of Sarajevo was visited by a delegation from the Northwestern Pedagogical University: Prof. Dr. Liu Zhongkui, president, Prof. Dr. Tian Shu, Vice Chancellor for International Affairs, Quan Xiaohui, Senior Advisor for International Cooperation, Sun Mei, Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchange, and Liu Xuelin, Director of the Finance Department. On behalf of the University of Sarajevo, the guests were welcomed by Prof. Dr. Rifat Škrijelj, Rector, Prof. Dr. Dženana Husremović, Vice-Rector for Teaching and Student Affairs, and Confucius Institute at University of Sarajevo Co-Director, M.Sc. Miroslav Živanović.

The direct reason for the visit is the Confucius Institute University of Sarajevo, which was founded and is being developed as a joint project of international cooperation between two universities. During the meeting, the previous activity, work and achieved results of the Confucius Institute were discussed. It was emphasized that the arrival of the co-director of the Confucius Institute from China is expected soon, and that this will create the conditions for defining the activities in this and the next year.

During the meeting, the attendees were also reminded that in December 2019, the Agreement on Cooperation was signed between the UNSA Faculty of Philosophy of UNSA and Confucius Institute at UNSA. The Agreement’s subject is assistance in the realization of the teaching process at the Faculty of Philosophy for new program contents, primarily, teaching for the elective course Chinese language.

The joint conclusion of the delegations is that the Confucius Institute of the University of Sarajevo is already and will continue to be an important factor in building strong and friendly relations between the two countries.

The meeting that took place was also an opportunity for discussions on wider cooperation between the University of Sarajevo and the Northwestern Pedagogical University (NWNU), which, in addition to the development of the Confucius Institute at the University of Sarajevo, would also include cooperation in other scientific and artistic fields, as well as cooperation on research projects, and the exchange of students and teachers.

The Confucius Institute, located in the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies on the University of Sarajevo Campus, was founded in cooperation with the Northwestern Pedagogical University from China with the aim of strengthening cultural and educational cooperation between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the People's Republic of China and promoting Chinese culture and language. The official opening of the Confucius Institute at the University of Sarajevo was held on 2 April  2015.