The Confucius Institute at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has commemorated its first anniversary at the Great Hall, under the theme "Bridging Language and Culture for a Better Future."
The event recognised the Institute’s achievements and featured the 2024 Chinese Ambassador Scholarship Awarding Ceremony, where 21 deserving students received scholarships.
The ceremony saw vibrant cultural dance performances from the Hilltop School, KNUST Basic School, KNUST Senior High School (SHS), and the Confucius Institute staff, reflecting the fusion of Ghanaian and Chinese cultures.
Professor (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson, Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, recollected the inauguration of the Confucius Institute and how quickly it has reached its one-year milestone.
“It’s amazing how time flies. We are here celebrating the one-year anniversary of the Confucius Institute in this very same hall. It hasn’t been long since we embarked on cultural and academic exchanges,” she remarked.
She recounted that the Institute was established as a bridge to connect Ghana and China, fostering mutual understanding and shared growth.
She highlighted the vital role played by the partnership between KNUST, Hubei University of Automotive Technology (HUAT), and the Chinese International Education Fund in strengthening the Institute.
“This tripartite agreement has contributed to making the Confucius Institute a unique one. The institute has become a vibrant hub of language learning and cultural exchange for staff and students and on reflection, all that we can see is that the opportunities are unending. We’ll work together as the Institute evolves to a unique Centre of excellence,” Prof. Dickson said.
Professor Su Zibo, the Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute, expressed his excitement about the rapid development of the Institute.
He acknowledged the essential support from the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, the Ghana Association of Chinese Societies, and KNUST, which has facilitated the teaching of the Chinese language to 1,300 students.
Reflecting on the progress of the Institute, he revealed that the Institute has established a Chinese language test centre at KNUST, eliminating the need for students to travel to Accra or Cape Coast for examinations.
“We held the first HSK test here in KNUST. Students don’t have to travel to Accra or Cape Coast for a Chinese language test anymore,” he revealed.
Professor Su further disclosed that the Institute has expanded its programs to four colleges and has introduced the Chinese language to over 2,000 first-year students. He also announced plans to establish a Chinese language major and construct a Confucius Institute building at KNUST.
“We’ll work hard to improve the teaching and learning conditions by setting up a Confucius Institute building. All these achievements and future developments are only possible with the help of the Chinese Embassy, the Chinese society, and KNUST management,” he affirmed.
His Excellency Tong Defa, the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, congratulated KNUST, the Confucius Institute team, and volunteers for their hard work in making the Institute thrive despite challenges. “The beginning of everything is difficult,” he quoted a Chinese proverb.
H. E. Tong Defa expressed his appreciation of the efforts of all those “who have travelled long journeys from China to Ghana to spread the Chinese culture and have worked hard to promote the China-Ghana relationship, cultivating one after another Ghanaian student to know, understand and like China, and sowing the seeds of China-Ghana friendship for future generations.”
The Ambassador believes, “China and Ghana will meet new opportunities, and the two countries will have closer exchanges in various fields,” as China and Africa have designated the year of 2026 as the ‘China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges.’
“Learning Chinese Language will bring you more opportunities in the future, enable you to better serve the economic and social development of Ghana, and contribute more to our bilateral relations as well,” he added.
The event concluded with the scholarship awarding ceremony, where 21 KNUST students were awarded.
Two students received the Cultural Ambassador Awards of US $300 each, three students received the First Prize of US$ 200 each, while four students were awarded the Second Prize of US$ 150 each. The Third Prize was given to twelve students, each receiving US$ 100.
