The Confucius Institute at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) has celebrated the 12th global Confucius Institute Day in the University.

The Confucius Institute, named after the renowned Chinese Philosopher Confucius (551-479 BC), is aimed at promoting the Chinese language and culture, supporting local Chinese teaching internationally, and facilitating cultural exchanges.

Speaking at the ceremony, Prof. Hu Liangcai, a lecturer at the Hunan University, China, explained that the Confucius Institute was established to promote mutual respect, benefit, harmony and more importantly to promote the Chinese language in Ghana.He said the Confucius Institute in Ghana had chalked remarkable achievements since its inception in 2004 in South Korea.

Prof Hu announced that for a student to obtain full scholarship from the Chinese government to study in China, the student would be made to write the Hangu Shuiping Kaoshi(HSK) Test, which is the Chinese Academic Proficiency Test. Consequently, he added that Confucius Institute would soon set up the HSK Test Center in UCC.He advised students to visit www.hanban.org or www.chinesecio.com for more information about the scholarship.

Prof Hu indicated that plans were afoot with the University Management to introduce the Chinese language Bachelor's degree during the 2017/18 admission year.He called for the promotion of exchange programmes by students of China and Ghana,noting “it strengthens bilateral relations”.

Speaking on the sidelines of the ceremony, Prof Kwadwo Opoku-Agyemang, the Director of the UCC Confucius Institute, called on students to take the Chinese language seriously. That, he noted, would create space for dialogue."We are learning the Chinese Language, but we are also learning a new way of doing things specific to their culture," Prof Opoku- Agyemang noted.

He said Confucius Institute at UCC was about dialogue between African and Chinese hegemonies.The ceremony, held at the Institute of Education Conference Room, brought together lecturers, Teaching Assistants, students and Persons with Disability.