On the morning of July 18th, NWU convened the 2023 Committee Meeting of Confucius Institute at the Bulacan State University at the Taibai Campus. Attendees included Prof. Lai Shaocong, Vice President of NWU, Dr. Cecilia N. GASCON, President of the Bulacan State University; Dr. Jaime P. Pulumbarit, Vice President of the Bulacan State University; directors from both Chinese and foreign sides of the Confucius Institute; as well as representatives from the Office of International Cooperation and Finance Department of NWU. The meeting was presided over by the Director of the Office of International Cooperation.
The meeting reviewed and approved the 2020-2022 work report, the 2023 work plan, and the annual budget of the Confucius Institute. The meeting outlined the direction of the Confucius Institute’s specialized development focusing on “Chinese language + vocational skills,” laying the foundation for further promoting sustainable development and enhancing the role of the cultural exchange platform.
Lai Shaocong expressed gratitude for Bulacan State University’s long-term support in promoting Chinese language and culture. He hoped that through this meeting, the two universities could collaboratively plan for the future development of the Confucius Institute at the Bulacan State University, explore distinctive development paths, and innovate cooperative exchange models to achieve better and faster progress.
Dr. Cecilia N. GASCON expressed her hope that both universities would jointly run the Confucius Institute effectively and leverage their respective disciplinary strengths to enhance cooperation in academia, scientific research, and talent cultivation, further maximizing the role of the Confucius Institute as a platform for cooperative exchange.
After the meeting, the Philippine delegation held discussions with the Dean of School of Urban Planning and Environmental Sciences to explore possiblities in joint student training and research cooperation projects in relevant disciplines.
Established in 2009, the Confucius Institute at Bulacan State University, in partnership with Northwest university, provides Chinese language education to Filipino community for approximately 3,000 students annually.