The University of Porto inaugurated a Confucius Institute and classes start this October
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The University of Porto inaugurated the first Confucius Institute, on 24 May, in Porto. The institute is located at Rua de Ceuta and it is the result of the partnership between the University of Porto and the Guangdong University of Foreign Studies.
The main objective of this project is to strengthen the ties of cooperation between the two countries, by encouraging cultural understanding and the rapprochement between the University of Porto and China.
Confucius Institutes (zh) are non-profit public institutions affiliated with the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China whose stated aim is to promote Chinese language and culture, support local Chinese teaching internationally, and facilitate cultural exchanges.
Classes are scheduled to start this October and the first courses to be available are Chinese language and Culture, taught by Chinese professors from the Guangdon University of Foreign Studies.
The Confucius Institute of the University of Porto will also have open activities to the general public, namely cinema sessions, art exhibitions, book fairs, culinary courses, calligraphy Lessons, dance lessons and martial arts.
"This will be a space for the Portuguese-Chinese Joint Liaison in different areas. (?) I would say that China is Portugal's natural partner. And this common journey includes the relevant role that higher education institutions must fulfil as enablers of the human, technical and scientific development", affirmed the Rector of the University of Porto, António de Sousa Pereira, on the occasion of the inauguration ceremony.