CIUG Board Meeting Charts New Direction for 2026 as UG and Zhejiang University of Technology Strengthen Partnership
Members of the Board of the Confucius Institute at the University of Ghana (CIUG) have, at a recent meeting in China, outlined new strategic directions for 2026 as the University of Ghana (UG) and the Zhejiang University of Technology (ZJUT) reaffirmed their commitment to deepening academic, cultural and institutional collaboration.
The 2025 Board Meeting, held during a working visit by a UG delegation led by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, brought together senior officials of both universities to review CIUG’s progress and discuss priority areas for strengthening Chinese language education, cultural exchange and joint research initiatives.
Welcoming the delegation, the Vice-President of ZJUT, Wang Jianguo, expressed appreciation to Prof. Amfo and her team for their visit. He noted that the meeting was taking place at a period of heightened global focus on international Chinese education, referencing recent guidance by President Xi Jinping to young scholars and educators worldwide on deepening cross-cultural learning and cooperation.
Mr. Wang praised the CIUG for establishing itself as a global model since its inception, attributing its growth to the solid partnership between UG and ZJUT and the support of both the Chinese and Ghanaian governments. He reaffirmed ZJUT’s commitment to strengthening management systems, improving teaching infrastructure and expanding cultural programmes at the Institute.
The meeting reviewed proposed work priorities for CIUG in 2026, including enhancements to internal management structures, expanded Chinese language teaching and local talent development, optimisation of teaching sites across Ghana, as well as strengthened engagement with local institutions, government agencies and Chinese enterprises operating in the country.
Both institutions also discussed plans to establish a Chinese Language Education Research Centre in Ghana. The facility will support theoretical and applied research in language education while promoting broader cultural and linguistic exchange between China and other countries.
Prof. Amfo and the UG delegation expressed gratitude for ZJUT’s longstanding support and reaffirmed the University’s commitment to sustaining and expanding mutually beneficial collaboration. The two sides also reviewed progress under existing partnership agreements, including joint scientific research initiatives, student and faculty exchanges and the International Joint Laboratory on Sustainable Energy and Environmental Restoration.
At the meeting, Prof. Wang Jimin presented a report on his tenure as Chinese Director of the Institute. Board Members expressed appreciation for his dedicated service and the significant progress recorded under his leadership. The incoming Chinese Director, Prof. Liu Baijun, also addressed the Board and outlined key areas of focus for the coming year. He further presented the proposed budget for 2026, which will guide the Institute’s programmes and activities as it advances its mandate in Ghana.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to deepen cooperation, enhance research capacity, expand educational opportunities and further elevate the global visibility of both institutions, while strengthening the role of CIUG in promoting cross-cultural understanding between Ghana and China.
Present at the meeting from the University of Ghana were Prof. Jemima Akosua Asabea Anderson (Dean, International Programmes Office); Prof. Clement Kwamina Insaidoo Appah (former Ghanaian Director, CIUG); Dr. Setor Donne Novieto (Ghanaian Director, CIUG); Dr. Elizier Taiba Ameyaw-Buronyah (Director, Public Affairs Directorate) and Mrs. Amma Afumwaa Appah (Research Development Officer).
The team from Zhejiang University of Technology included Yao Nan (Director, International Office); Prof. Zhang Xiaoyue (Dean, College of Humanities); Prof. Chen Fang (Dean, College of Foreign Languages); Wang Zhaoxia (Deputy Director, Finance Office); Prof. Wang Jimin (outgoing Chinese Director, CIUG); and Prof. Liu Baijun (incoming Chinese Director, CIUG).