China has become an increasingly important educational, cultural, and economic partner of Southern California. The UCLA Confucius Institute (UCLA CI) is building upon an already impressive array of scholarly resources and practical programs by helping make connections among existing organizations, by developing new initiatives, and by serving as one of many outreach links from UCLA to the diverse communities of Southern California. Our efforts to promote Chinese language, culture and history are taking many different forms as we address the needs of a variety of constituencies. The UCLA CI plans to provide study abroad opportunities, cultural and language training for the business community, training for future Chinese language educators, support for advanced academic and professional translation efforts, and programming in health and medicine that further understanding of Chinese culture. The UCLA CI will provide an additional platform for expanded public programming, event coordination, and fundraising activities in support of UCLA’s commitment to international education and community service.
