The Official Opening of Confucius Class
On 21st May 2018, the Confucius Class was officially opened at Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra. The Confucius Class opens the new opportunities for Chinese language teaching in Slovakia and it is only one of its kind in Central Europe.
The opening ceremony and revelation of symbolic table of the Confucius Class at the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra was hosted by its Director, assoc. prof. Natália Turčeková, PhD. (Vice-dean for International Affairs and Public Relations at Faculty of Economics and Management), who welcomed distinguished guests on the behalf of the university and its Rector: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People´s Republic of China to Slovakia – Mr. J. E. Lin Lin with his wife, the Rector of Slovak Technical University and Chairman of the Board of the Directors of Confucius Institute in Bratislava – prof. Ing. Robert Redhammer, PhD., Chinese Director of Confucius Institute in Bratislava – prof. Li Qingfeng, Slovak Director of Confucius Institute in Bratislava – Ing. Petra Kotuliaková, PhD., representatives from the SUA management, guests from Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, students and other guests. Assoc. prof. Turčeková emphasized that Confucius Class is a class with unique status and its opening is a significant event for SUA in Nitra. “It is a window to a far-off culture and a chance for our students to establish themselves in the world labor markets”, she said. She also thanked everyone who participated and helped to make this new modern multimedia classroom part of the language learning process at our university.
Rector of SUA in Nitra and member of the Board of Directors of Confucius Institute in Bratislava, Dr.h.c. prof. Ing. Peter Bielik, PhD., has only recently returned from China where he symbolically received Table that will decorate this unique classroom. Prof. Bielik briefly summarized history of the cooperation between SUA in Nitra with Chinese universities and research institutes dating since 2014. It includes several activities including summer schools as well as exchanges of lecturers and students. Rector emphasized that there is still interest to participate at exchanges in China as well as in Slovakia. It is also a great opportunity to discover the history, culture and present of both countries. “It is great honor for us to be part of this process and I am convinced that Confucius class at SUA in Nitra will be successful project!”, he added. His words were followed by Ambassador of the People´s Republic of China Mr. Lin Lin, who expressed pleasure from the great interest in Chinese language and culture in Slovakia and underlined relationship between our countries.
Rector of the Slovak Technical University in Bratislava and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Confucius Institute, prof. Rober Redhammer, congratulated to the official opening of the Confucius Class that opens this year as the only class of its kind in Central Europe. He emphasized that the opening is a significant milestone in the Slovak-Chinese relations, which have begun to develop few decades ago in the field of agriculture. However, the name of the Slovak architect Ladislav Hudec (1893 – 1958) who changed the face of Shanghai is very significant for China.
The official opening was enriched by demonstration of traditional Slovak folklore dances and music by the members of SUA in Nitra ensemble Zobor. After that, children from United Nations Elementary School in Nitra (school devoted to teaching of foreign languages) performed dance game in Chinese language. The program was concluded by Slovak students of Chinese language who prepared short presentation of their knowledge and recited in Chinese.
Media monitoring: RTVS Rádio Slovensko 21. 5. 2018 (from 21.18 minute in Slovak language) http://www.rtvs.sk/radio/archiv/1124/927869
