Dancing dragons descended on Dungannon to launch a new South West College initiative.
The Confucius Classroom Project will give pupils in 48 schools across Tyrone and Fermanagh a chance to get to grips with Mandarin Chinese and sample the country’s culture through a series of workshops, lessons and events.
Supported by the Confucius Institute at the University of Ulster the initiative also supports small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to explore trading options with China.
South West College director Malachy McAleer said: “We celebrate the launch of a premier example of international collaboration, as a college we are delighted and proud to be supporting the Confucius Institute of the University of Ulster and their partnering university, Zhejiang University of Media and Communications (ZUMC).
“As a region we are looking forward to welcoming six Chinese teachers in 2014 and I hope they enjoy their experience of our culture as much as our staff have enjoyed the experience of the Chinese culture.”
Attending the Confucius Classroom Project launch were students from Sacred Heart, Omagh; St John’s, Dromore; St Patrick’s Primary School, Dungannon; Omagh Academy; Dean Maguirc, Carrickmore; Erne Intregrated College, Enniskillen; Cookstown Primary School and St Patrick’s Academy, Dungannon.
The Confucius Institute at the University of Ulster was officially opened by China’s most senior female politician Madame Liu Yandong, in April 2012. Its aim is to develop academic, cultural, economic and social ties between the two countries.
South West College is based across four campuses in Omagh, Dungannon, Cookstown and Enniskillen.
It is the largest provider of education and training in the South West.
The college employs 700 staff and provides education for 3,000 full time and 18,000 part time students and has an annual operating budget of circa £40m.
The Confucius Institute, whose Northern Ireland headquarters is in Coleraine, is part of a network of 322 institutes in over 50 countries and operates in partnership with the Zhejiang University in southeastern China.