'Green' News from Alfred University http://www.alfred.edu/pressreleases/archive.cfm Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:58:20 EST goetschius@alfred.edu (Susan Goetschius) webmaster@alfred.edu (Judy Linza) Alfred University will formally mark the establishment of a Confucius Institute on its campus with a two-day celebration that begins Sunday afternoon with an official ceremony and a full program of performances by Chinese artists. The events continue with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11:30 a.m. Monday in the F.W. Olin College of Business Building. Alfred's Confucius Institute is one of only 47 in the United States, and one of only three in New York State. Confucius Institutes, which promote Chinese language and culture through education, are created through Chinese Language Council International (Hanban). Alfred University's partner institution, which will provide Chinese faculty members for the Institute as well work with Alfred on its administration, is China University of Geosciences (CUG) in Wuhan, the People's Republic of China. AU President Charles Edmondson and Yanxin Wang, vice president of China University of Geosciences, will sign the formal agreement between the two institutions as part of the opening ceremony at 4 p.m. Sunday in Nevins Theater, Powell Campus Center. Other members of the CUG delegation include Xulong Lai, professor of geology and dean of the earth sciences faculty; Hua Wang, director of personnel development; Yuanxing Dong, dean of Foreign Languages School; Bin Shuai, dean of Arts and Communications School; and Hongtao Su, deputy dean of International Education School. Dr. Wilfred Huang, director of the Confucius Institute at Alfred University (CIAU) and professor of management in the College of Business, will be master of ceremonies. Other Alfred representatives on hand for the ceremony will be Xinquan Liu, Chinese director and associate director of the institute; Carla Coch, associate director; Yuzhen (Jenny) Zhang, instructor; and Jing (Shirley) Zhu, instructor. Delivering the keynote address, "Kong dot Flux," will be Wayne Higby, professor of ceramic art in AU's School of Art & Design. "Professor Higby was a natural choice for our keynote speaker for this ceremony, which is about building bridges and understanding between people of different cultures," said Edmondson. For nearly 20 years, Higby has been working to establish connections with China; he is co-founder of San Bao International Ceramic Art Institute. Literally meaning "three treasures" in Chinese - rice, tea and porcelain - San Bao is a studio center near Jingdezhen where ceramic artists from around the world can come and work. His efforts were recognized when he was the first foreign national to be made an honorary citizen of Jingdezhen. The ceremony will also feature "Dance in the Rain," performed by Wan Dongni, a student from China University of Geosciences who is now studying at Bryant University; "an ensemble of Yang Yue, Li Liqun, Zhou Yi and Miao Yimin will perform several selections, including "The Moonlit Spring River and Flowers," "Three Six" and "Horse racing." Yang Yue plays the erhu, a bowed lute with two strings tuned a fifth apart, between which the bow is threaded. Li Liqun plays the yangqin, a hammered dulcimer, and Zhou Yi plays the pipa, a four-stringed lute with a pear-shaped body. Completing the ensemble is Miao Yimin, who plays the dizi, a wooden flute. http://www.alfred.edu/pressreleases/viewrelease.cfm?ID=5451 Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:00:00 EST 5451 http://www.alfred.edu This weekend's opening ceremonies for the Confucius Institute at Alfred University (CIAU) will showcase traditional Chinese dances and music - and allow the newly created institute an opportunity to fulfill one of its goals. "The goal of Confucius Institute is to promote a greater understanding of Chinese culture and language," explains Dr. Wilfred Huang, director of CIAU and a professor of management in the College of Business at Alfred University. To that end, Huang and his committee have organized a broad and varied program they believe will offer a "spectacular" introduction to the public of some very important aspects of Chinese culture. The first event open to the public is a Lion Dance, a traditional dance performed by acrobats in a lion costume. It is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Sunday, May 3, on the quadrangle in front of Powell Campus Center. The formal opening ceremony, which will include the signing of an agreement between Alfred University and its partner institution, China University of Geosciences in Wuhan, the People's Republic of China, will be held at 4 p.m. in Nevins Theater, Powell Campus Center. There will be series of performances, also at Nevins Theater, beginning at 8 p.m. Featured performers include Wan Dongni, a student at China University of Geosciences who is now doing a study abroad experience at Bryant University; Zhou Yi, who plays the pipa, a four-stringed lute with a pear-shaped body; Yang Yue, who plays the erhu, a bowed lute with two strings; Li Liquin, who plays the yangqin, a hammered dulcimer; and Miao Yimin, who plays the dizi, a wooden flute. http://www.alfred.edu/pressreleases/viewrelease.cfm?ID=5453 Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:00:00 EST 5453 http://www.alfred.edu Alfred University's College of Business joins a select group of colleges and universities internationally as host to a Confucius Institute, devoted to promoting Chinese language and culture through education. Dr. Wilfred V Huang, professor of management in the College of Business, will serve as director of the Alfred University Confucius Institute, one of just over 200 worldwide and one of only 47 in the United States. The Institute at Alfred University is one of three in New York State. "It is a significant honor for Alfred University to be chosen to host a Confucius Institute," said President Charles M. Edmondson, who traveled to Beijing, the People's Republic of China, with Huang to sign the formal agreement between AU and the Office of Chinese Language Council International (Hanban) to create the Institute. "As China emerges as an economic and political power in today's world, it is important for us to better understand its culture and language," said Edmondson. "Through the Confucius Institute, Alfred University will be able to provide education and training to those on several different levels, from teaching the language in elementary and secondary schools, to conducting business with companies in China." Edmondson gave the credit to Huang for securing the Institute, calling it "an honor for any institution, and a remarkable recognition for Alfred University that would not have been possible without Dr. Huang's leadership." "This is a milestone for Alfred University in our development of international programs," said Dr. William Hall, associate provost and acting dean of the College of Business. "Through Dr. Huang's excellent work, we were able to secure the Confucius Institute for Alfred University against some very formidable competition not just in New York State, but nationally." Huang said plans for the Alfred University include an array of programs, including a lecture series, open to the public, that will focus on some aspect of Chinese culture; non-credit courses in Mandarin, open to AU students, faculty, staff and community members; an outreach program for students and industrial and business people, that would offer instruction in Chinese culture and languages, both on campus and at other locations around the state; and training, leading to certification to teach Mandarin, for teachers in kindergarten through 12th grade. Among the most exciting possibilities, said Huang, are trips to China conducted through the Confucius Institute at Alfred University. He will be working with the International Programs office at Alfred University to develop additional semester- or year-long study abroad opportunities for AU students at Chinese institutions, including the China University of Geosciences. Shorter trips - 10 days or two weeks - might be developed in conjunction with AU courses that focus on a particular aspect of Chinese culture. Through the Confucius Institute, Huang will also be able to take business and industrial leaders, including representatives of economic development agencies or Chambers of Commerce that want to establish partnerships with their Chinese counterparts, on 'trade missions' to China. Alfred University will also develop resources, including a library, to promote research both on the AU campus and at other institutions across the state through a Center for Research on Chinese Language and Culture. http://www.alfred.edu/pressreleases/viewrelease.cfm?ID=5230 Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST 5230 http://www.alfred.edu