2008 Woodie Awards
Webster aims to bring Confucius Institute to town
By: James Chilton
Issue date: 4/12/07 Section: News
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"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." These words are attributed to Confucius, the ancient Chinese philosopher whose teachings changed the way many Asian cultures thought about life, morality and social ethics. Now an institute bearing his name is seeking to export the culture of his homeland to schools around the world, and Webster might be next.
The Confucius Institute, headquartered in Beijing, is a non-profit institute developed by Hanban, the Office of Chinese Language Council International. The Institute's purpose as stated by Hanban is "promoting friendly relationship with other countries and enhancing the understanding of the Chinese language and culture among world Chinese learners as well as providing good learning conditions for them."
Since the first Institute opened in Seoul, South Korea in 2004, more than 45 others have sprung up around the world, including 11 at various universities throughout the United States and another in Chicago Public Schools, the third largest school district in the country. Now, Webster University is in the running for the 13th American Confucius Institute, largely thanks to the efforts of one man - Bob Holden, former Missouri Governor, current vice chairman of the MidWest U.S.-China Association and professor of business management at Webster.
"When I was in China … they were talking about the Institute," Holden said. "I thought this fit so well with (Webster's) mission."
In the summer of 2006 Holden, impressed with what he had heard of the Institute, started meeting with the Chinese Ministry of Education to learn more. On Jan. 22, 2007, Ji Yuan, the Chinese Consul for Education in Chicago paid Webster a visit. Yuan toured the facilities, had lunch with the deans and met with the executive staff and local business leaders.
David Wilson, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said Yuan gave a speech saying the consulate fully supported an Institute at Webster.
The Confucius Institute, headquartered in Beijing, is a non-profit institute developed by Hanban, the Office of Chinese Language Council International. The Institute's purpose as stated by Hanban is "promoting friendly relationship with other countries and enhancing the understanding of the Chinese language and culture among world Chinese learners as well as providing good learning conditions for them."
Since the first Institute opened in Seoul, South Korea in 2004, more than 45 others have sprung up around the world, including 11 at various universities throughout the United States and another in Chicago Public Schools, the third largest school district in the country. Now, Webster University is in the running for the 13th American Confucius Institute, largely thanks to the efforts of one man - Bob Holden, former Missouri Governor, current vice chairman of the MidWest U.S.-China Association and professor of business management at Webster.
"When I was in China … they were talking about the Institute," Holden said. "I thought this fit so well with (Webster's) mission."
In the summer of 2006 Holden, impressed with what he had heard of the Institute, started meeting with the Chinese Ministry of Education to learn more. On Jan. 22, 2007, Ji Yuan, the Chinese Consul for Education in Chicago paid Webster a visit. Yuan toured the facilities, had lunch with the deans and met with the executive staff and local business leaders.
David Wilson, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said Yuan gave a speech saying the consulate fully supported an Institute at Webster.
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