NORTHERN TODAY 9 FALL 2015 NORTHERN NEWS “NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY and South Dakota are ready for this,” said Ludeman Smith. It’s also been very busy, with NSU officials traveling to China, Chinese scholars traveling to Northern, and various events planned and classes underway. The Confucius Institute is a partnership between Northern and the University of Jinan, China. This semester, 26 students from the University of Jinan are studying at Northern. Also, 21 students are enrolled in the NSU Confucius Institute’s first Mandarin course. In the future, Mandarin courses will also be offered online and through the Center for Statewide E-Learning. The Mandarin course is taught by Liu Min, who recently joined Northern’s Confucius Institute. The Confucius Institute and NSU’s international business program are also hosting the first visiting scholar from the University of Jinan, Song Lei, through February 2016. Another five scholars from the University of Jinan attended the International Business Conference in Rapid City this fall. NSU trip to China In June, 10 staff and faculty travelled to the University of Jinan. Hannah Walters, instructor of marketing and director of the Center of Excellence in International Business and Entrepreneurship, said her role on the trip involved learning how the CEIBE could partner with the NSU Confucius Institute and the University of Jinan. Walters met with management faculty and marketing faculty from the University of Jinan. Dr. Allen Barclay, NSU assistant professor of management and marketing, said his goal on the trip was to create a stronger bond between himself and his Chinese students – and that’s what happened. “The students I met while in China remember me and are more comfortable asking questions and participating in class,” he said. Meeting the students was the best part of the trip for Barclay. “Of all the time we spent touring, in meetings, visiting classrooms, etc., the best part was the afternoon we spent in the coffee shop on the UJN campus,” he said. “Those few hours of just talking with students were by far the best part.” Walters, too, said the meeting time with students was one of the best parts of the trip. It eased the students’ fear of the unknown of studying abroad while giving Walters and other faculty members the opportunity to relate to the students’ home country and heritage. To the next delegation, Barclay recommends bringing good shoes and enjoying the local food. He also advises taking the time to get to know the local people and really spend time with the students. Walters hopes sharing her own experiences and anxieties about traveling overseas can help ease the fears of others – including students. “I think that makes a big difference when talking to students about traveling abroad,” she said. “My experiences make it real, not just theoretical, like I’ve merely read a book about traveling.” Chinese culture on campus Back on the NSU campus, progress continues on a Chinese Cultural Center in Williams Library, including 700 volumes from the Confucius Institute Headquarters in Beijing, and an interactive multimedia exhibit on Chinese culture. The Confucius Institute is also hosting cultural events. Three Tours Performance Troupe performed Sept. 23 in Krikac Auditorium. The event commemorated the International Confucius Institute’s 11th anniversary on Sept. 26. Nearly 500 Confucius Institutes across the world celebrated this anniversary. The troupe was made up of students from Capital Normal University in Beijing, who performed Chinese choral and instrumental music and folk dance, martial arts, calligraphy and Peking opera. The performers also offered an interactive explanation of China’s cultural heritage demonstrated in the variety of acts. Confucius Institute at Northern State University meets positive response Since the Confucius Institute at Northern State University was established in spring 2015, the response has been overwhelmingly positive, said Director Dr. Naomi Ludeman Smith. Three Tours Performance Troupe performed Sept. 23 in Krikac Auditorium. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE OFFERINGS Though the Confucius Institute is housed at NSU, Ludeman Smith stressed that it is here to serve all communities, schools and universities across South and North Dakota. To learn more about the offerings of the Confucius Institute at Northern State University, call 605-626-7610 or email confucius@northern.edu.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzkyNTY=