Asia Briefing: Chinese to fund new Confucius centre

The Chinese authorities will provide €3 million in funding to match funding from the Irish Government for the new Confucius Centre project at Belfield.

The Confucius Institute for Ireland was established in 2006 and is a joint venture between the Chinese ministry of education agency Hanban, UCD and Renmin University of China. The plans show a striking piece of architecture, with a garden and a statue of the philosopher Confucius in front. It is due to be finished next year.

The UCD Confucius Institute has been overseen by Dr Wang Liming, the director of the university's Irish Institute for Chinese Studies. The building will be about 2,000sq m, and will accommodate the institute which will provide teaching, learning, research and executive training activities. "Upon completion, the dedicated Model Confucius Institute building will become one of Europe's leading sites for the study of Chinese language and culture," said Dr Wang. "It should serve not only as a landmark building on UCD campus, but also as a state-of-the-art centre fully equipped and perfectly appointed to facilitate China-related academic and social activities in Ireland."

Ireland has three of the world’s 350 Confucius Institutes, whose mission is to teach the world about China.

Ireland and China signed the Memorandum of Understanding about capital funding for the UCD institute in 2010, during senior leader Li Changchun’s visit to Ireland. The project was also discussed at the meeting between president Xi Jinping and Taoiseach Enda Kenny in February 2012.

Estimated total costs for the building are €6.94 million, with China and Ireland each contributing €3 million. The remainder will be raised by UCD. The university will make a site available and will cover the operating costs of the institute.