From this April, The University of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM) will be the headquarters for the first Instituto Confucio de Castilla-La Mancha of the region, and the eighth in Spain, what constitutes to a new milestone for the presence the academic institution has internationally. Although physically located in the Palacio de Lorenzana in Toledo, the Instituto Confucio will carry out its business in all of the UCLM campuses. It will offer Intensive Chinese Courses for adults and children, as well as other activities, such as specific programmes aimed at entrepreneurs and those working in business. It will also offer seminars on Oriental Philosophy or Comparative Literature. With the intention of encouraging people to practice Chinese Mandarin, video tutorials will also be carried out and the official exams for the “HSK” will be prepared within the academic field. What is more, the Instituto Confucio will be promoting and strengthening the Chinese Language and Cultural Courses it already offers in the Aprende Lenguas programme. Various activities focusing on cultural projection will also be organised as a way of boosting the interest of Chinese students who are studying at the UCLM through scholarships. In fact, in addition to celebrating the Chinese New Year and Spring Festivals, activities such as art competitions, artisan workshops, calligraphy, handicraft, martial arts or traditional medicine will be programmed, as well as a series of movies and many other activities.

During the presentation of this new center, Miguel Ángel Collado, the Vice-Chancellor Rector of the University of Castilla-La Mancha, whilst stressing the importance of having a “leading partner” in the University of Nanchang, he underlined the “hard work” carried out these past few years in order to obtain accreditation from the Chinese Government. He also revealed the efforts of this initiative in relation to the internationalisation of the economy and of Castilla-La Mancha and, not to forget, the increased number of Chinese citizens present in the region.

Likewise, the Minister of Education Ángel Felpeto emphasised the “extraordinary nature” of the opening of the Instituto Confucio and how it “brings knowledge.” He pointed out the coincidence of this announcement with the publication of the preliminary draft of the Research Law in the Website for Transparency of the Regional Government. In this regard, he stressed the importance of collaboration between the Ministry and the University, stating that they “must go hand in hand to consolidate projects.”

UCLM Communication Office. Toledo, March 2017