From March 23rd to 24th, RUC Executive Vice Chairman ZHANG Jianming and delegation visited the University of Geneva and the building of the Confucius Institute there, promoting both academic exchange, cross-cultural cooperation, and sustainable development of the Confucius Institute.

On March 23, Executive Vice Chairman ZHANG Jianming and delegation visited the Confucius Institute at the University of Geneva. Swiss Director of the Confucius Institute Prof. Basile Zimmermann and Chinese Director WANG Xiaolou briefed him on the progress and development plans for the Confucius Institute, and as Switzerland's first Confucius Institute, it has actively been exploring "research-based" development for the past six years.  Confucius Institute Chinese-teaching Director XIE Honghua and Mandarin Chinese teachers BAO Yinhui, and "Confucius China Studies" grant doctoral students Ozan Sahin, and Pierrick Porchet reported on the current Chinese teaching and scientific research programs.

RUC Executive Vice Chairman ZHANG Jianming recognized and applauded the Confucius Institute at the University of Geneva for their outstanding work, and thanked the Swiss Faculty for their great efforts. He said that the Confucius Institute at the University of Geneva has seen great development under both Sino-Swiss support, and he hopes that besides engaging in academic research, and dissemination of Chinese language and culture, there will be even more future academic cooperation between University of Geneva and RUC. He hopes that the Confucius Institute at University of Geneva can move forward "academic" development, and continue to explore the experiences and models of sustainable development of Confucius institutes.

On March 24, Executive Vice Chairman ZHANG Jianming visited with Yves Flückiger, President of the University of Geneva, Switzerland to discuss building Confucius Institute partner colleges and universities. Yves Flückiger recalled that President of China XI Jinping came to visit the Swiss Confederation, and many Swiss colleges and universities are looking to building ties with China to create platforms for exchange and cooperation. He hopes to further develop platforms for multidisciplinary cooperation and dialogue between the China and Swiss international institutions.  ZHANG said that he hopes to further build more dialogue and cooperation with international institutions and promote the exchange of researchers and students between the two schools in law, sociology, economics and management, international relations, continuing education and other disciplines, as well as other areas of cooperation. Vice Rector of University of Geneva Micheline Louis-Courvoisier, Swiss Director of the Confucius Institute Basile Zimmermann, and other notable University of Geneva and Confucius Institute representatives attended the visit.