On October, 23rd, 2024, the 11th board meeting of Confucius Institute of ZJSU and Howest was held at Xiasha Campus.

Carl Decaluwé, Governor of West Flanders, Belgium, Frederik D’hulster, President of Howest University of Applied Sciences(Howest),  Wang Yonggui,President of ZJSU, Gu Qing,Vice President , Tao Ying, Director of International Office and other Chinese and Belgium board members attended the meeting. Vice President Gu Qing presided at the meeting.

President Wang, on behalf of ZJSU, extended warm welcome to governor Decaluwé and his delegation, congratulated the holding of the 11th board meeting of Confucius Institute, and expressed his gratitude to all board members and faculty for their dedication. He pointed out, since the founding of the institute, the two universities leveraged their own strengths to boost the development of the institute by adapting to local conditions with the strong support from the governor and all members. We have also achieved satisfying school-running results, enhanced bilateral friendship and consolidated exchanges between China and Belgium. The institute now serves as a bridge and bond for interprovincial communications. He added that both universities and board members should join hands to support the future development of Confucius institute as always, so as to promote Sino-Belgium cultural exchanges and friendly ties, contributing to Sino-foreign exchanges and mutual learning and inheritance of the traditional friendship between the two countries and provinces.

During the meeting, Governor Decaluwé delivered a speech in which he reviewed the relationship between Zhejiang and West Flanders and his witness of the establishment and development of the Confucius Institute. He emphasized its significant role in promoting inter-provincial educational exchanges and economic and trade cooperation. He was looking forward to using it as a bridge to further strengthen Sino-Belgium cooperation and exchanges, and expressed his full support for the work of the Institute to build it as a global model.

At the meeting, attendees heard annual report on the Confucius Institute in 2024 and work plan for 2025 delivered by Belgium Director Vanhaelemeersch and Chinese Director Chen Peiliang. The project included Chinese language teaching, exchanges of volunteer teachers, cultural events, student exchange programs, and budget revenues and expenditures, etc. The achievements and plans were approved by board members, and they engaged in discussions on topics such as further dissemination of Chinese culture, promotion of all-round inter-provincial and inter-university cooperation, and preparations for the 25th anniversary of interprovincial tie and the 15th anniversary of inter-university collaboration next year.

At the end of the meeting, Frederik D’hulster, President of Howest delivered a closing address, in which he summarized major fruits of the meeting and acknowledged work and achievements last year. In the years to come, he added, the Confucius institute will continue to give full play to its functions in Chinese teaching and cultural exchanges, strive to serve as a platform to build a global alumni network, convene and connect alumni around the world, thereby composing an international community full of vitality.

The Confucius Institute was co-established by Zhejiang Gongshang University and Howest University of Applied Sciences in April 2012. Since its inception, the scope of Chinese language teaching has been expanded, a variety of special activities to spread Chinese culture have been hled. In 2021, we initiated an undergraduate program in Chinese business, carried out relevant teaching and researches in the Institute. The program aims to cultivate professionals proficient in Chinese, familiar with Chinese culture, and competent in Sino-Belgium business and management. In 2023, the two universities signed theAgreement on Deepening Scientific and Research Cooperation between ZJSU and Howest. Governor Carl Decaluwé led a delegation, composed of personnel from government, education and medical department to Zhejiang Province in order to further expand practical cooperation between China and Belgium at the local level. This marks the governor’s 12th visit to Zhejiang. During the visit, Governor Carl, as the member of CI Board of Directors, attended the 11th  board meeting together with the Howest delegation.