UDOM Launches Chinese Language Centre

UDOM Launches Chinese Language Centre

THE Vice-President, Dr Mohammed Gharib Bilal, on Sunday launched the Confucius Institute of the University of Dodoma (UDOM) that will be offering courses on Chinese language and culture.

Addressing delegates and UDOM students, Dr Bilal said the institute has solved the country's need for Chinese language experts to teach the language and culture to Tanzanians.

He said foreign languages and especially the Chinese language should be a useful to members of the Tanzania's business community engaged in trade and other transactions with China. "This institution continues to strengthen the historical bilateral ties between China and Tanzania," he said.

Dr Bilal said China has recently recorded significant economic growth and experts say the Asian country would become the world's top power house by 2030. The Deputy Minister for Education and Vocational Training, Mr Phillip Mulugo, said the establishment of the Chinese language and culture institute would enable local Tanzanians to easily share with their Chinese brethren various issues on culture, education and politics.

The UDOM Vice-Chancellor, Prof Idris Kikula, said the idea to estalish the Conficius Institute was conceived in 2010, it received great support from the government, leading to officials from UDOM to visit China and sign a co-operation agreement. The institute at UDOM started teaching Chinese language to the university staff in February.

"Among its long-term objectives is to set up a pool of local experts in the Chinese language who will take over teaching of the language at the Conficius Institute," he explained.