From April 5th to 10th, Vice President Yan Guohua led a delegation to visit Albania and Spain. During the 6-day visit, the Delegation attended 2016 Board Meeting of the Confucius Institute at University of Tirana (CIUT), visited the University of Tirana and Chinese Embassy to Albania, attended 2016 Board Meeting of the Confucius Institute at Barcelona (CIAB) and the Inauguration Ceremony for the new teaching site of CIAB, and visited Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona.

On April 6^th, the Delegation attended the 2016 Boarding Meeting of the Confucius Institute at the University of Tirana. The Meeting deliberated and approved 2015 Final Accounts and 2016 Budget of the CIUT. Expansion of the teaching area of CIUT and standardization of financial operation were also on the list of discussion.  The Board members further clarified the priority and direction for CIUT’s future development and expressed their appreciation for its achievement during the previous year and faith in its future development.

During his meeting with Yan Guohua, Dhori Kule, President of Tirana University, expressed that the University of Tirana would fully support the construction of CIUT to help realize its sustainable development. Yan Guohua also expressed his hope to make CIUT a platform for inter-university exchanges and an incubator for substansive cooperation programs. After in-depth communication, the two sides agreed to carry out cooperation in discipline construction, talent cultivation, students and stuff exchanges, regional studies and other fields.

The University of Tirana (UT), founded in 1957, is the largest and most famous public university as well as the only comprehensive university in Albania. The Confucius Institute of University of Tirana was co-founded by BFSU and UT as the first and only CI in the country.

During their stay in Albania, the delegation visited Chinese Embassy to Albania and was warmly received by Ambassador Jiang Yu, who expressed his appreciation to CIUT in promoting people-to-people exchanges and cultural dialogues between the two countries.

On April 8^th, the delegation attended 2016 Board Meeting of Confucius Institute at Barcelona. The Board members reviewed the Annual Work Report and Financial Report of CIAB and approved its 2015 Final Accounts and 2016 Budget. They fully acknowledged CIAB’s achievements in 2015 and discussed CIAB’s development priority and strategic plan in 2016.

Later, the delegation attended the Inauguration Ceremony for the new site of CIAB. The teaching building was provided by the municipal government of Barcelona, representing the local government’s acknowledgement of CIAB’s work and confidence in its future growth. Nearly 100 people attended the Ceremony, including Chinese and Spanish council members of CIAB, Deputy Consul-General of the Consulate-General of China in Spain, Madam Tang Lingyun, leaders of Chinese enterprises in Barcelona and local representatives from all walks of life.

Confucius Institute at Barcelona, established on April 15, 2010, is the only CI in Catalonia region of Spain. Co-founded by BFSU, Casa Asia, the Autonomous University of Barcelona and the University of Barcelona, it plays an important role in promoting mutual exchanges and understanding between China and the Catalonian region of Spain. The Barcelona government designated nearly 1000㎡as the teaching and office space of CIAB. Confucius Institute Headquarter/Hanban also provided financial support for the renovation of the new teaching site.

During their stay in Barcelona, the delegation visited the Pompeu Fabra University and was received by its Vice President Josep Ferrer. The two sides shared information and future development plans of their universities and signed  “Erusmus+” Inter-university Cooperation Agreement（2016-2020）. The agreement will deepen the two-way communication of students and faculty between the two universities.

Ke Jing, Director of International Exchange and Cooperation Office, and Zhang Xiaohui, Director of Confucius Institute Office are also members of the delegation.