By Mildred Siabi-Mensah, GNA
Takoradi (W/R), Oct. 19, GNA - The Takoradi Technical University (TTU) has signed a partnership agreement with the Confucius Institute at the University of Cape Coast (CIUCC) for staff and students of TTU to further their studies with scholarships in the Chinese language.
The CIUCC would further make provision for visiting scholars to help expand the knowledge base of both institutions.
After one year of the CIUCC-TTU partnership, CIUCC will assist TTU to apply for the establishment of a language laboratory - Centre for Languages and Liberal Studies within the framework of existing Confucius classroom guidelines.
At a brief ceremony held at the University, the Vice Chancellor, Reverend Professor John Frank Eshun, who initialled for Takoradi Technical University lauded the initiative and urged the entire university community to take advantage of the development to learn the Chinese language.
He recalled that Ghana has signed eight MoUs with China for infrastructural development which include roads and bridges and that 20 TTU staff were engaged in various studies in China.
He expressed appreciation to Prof Hu Liangcai and his team, for extending their academic assistance to TTU.
The Vice Chancellor praised the Dean of the Centre for Languages and Liberal Studies, Dr Prize F.Y. McApreko for the effort and called on stakeholders to ensure that the stated goals are attained.
For his part, the China Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Cape Coast, Prof Hu Liangcai, said the TTU Confucius Institute to be spearheaded by the Centre for Languages and Liberal Studies when established, would be the 14th in the country.
He presided over a documentary on the Confucius Institute initiatives in the country, and was particularly thankful to Dr Prize McApreko for his efforts to ensure the success of the initiative.
Explaining some of the benefits to be gained by both institutions, Dr Prize F.Y. McApreko, Dean of the Centre for Languages and Liberal Studies, said the inclusion of Chinese language as a liberal course gave true meaning to the resolve of the Centre to establish a visible, results-oriented and highly-competitive niche for itself as a ‘primus inter pares’ among languages acquisition and development centres in the country.
He said the discovery of oil and gas in the Western Region has become a central attraction for Chinese and other nationals to do business in the Region.
“Since language acquisition embodies its culture, the introduction of Chinese language should be appreciated beyond mere language acquisition and should facilitate rapid transfer of technological and ideological competencies for the benefit of the country,” he said.
GNA
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