New institute to boost link Scots-Chinese links

Mike Russell said the Confucius Institute will be 'a fantastic addition to Heriot-Watt University and to Scotland'. Picture: Ian Rutherford

The Scottish Confucius Institute for Business and Communication has been set up at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh after being approved by the Chinese Government’s Ministry of Education last November.

It is hoped the new centre will promote business, communication and cultural links between the two nations.

Pan Xinchun, consul-general of the People’s Republic of China in Edinburgh, along with minister councillor for education Shen Yang, from the embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and Professor Li Weian, president of Tianjin University for finance and economics, will join Mr Russell at the opening ceremony this afternoon.

Speaking ahead of the event, Mr Russell said: “This new Confucius Centre will be a fantastic addition to Heriot-Watt University and to Scotland. Mandarin is one of the world’s most widely spoken languages and it’s important that people in Scotland get the opportunity to learn about China, its language and its growing role in the modern world.

“Through promoting Chinese language and culture for educational and business purposes, the institute will complement the Scottish Government’s China Strategy and our aim to increase trade and educational collaborations with China through greater mutual understanding between our respective cultures.”

Heriot-Watt University principal Professor Steve Chapman said: “It is our hope that the Confucius Institute here at Heriot-Watt University will ultimately promote greater shared understanding between our two countries and complement the aims and ambitions of the Scottish Government to increase our knowledge of China.

“The opening of the institute underlines the importance that this university places on internationalisation and global collaboration. A defining characteristic of Heriot-Watt is our international presence. Our work with the Confucius Institute will see this success built upon, as we develop and encourage mobility between Chinese and local students ensuring exposure to business language and culture.”