A Confucius Institute set up in cooperation between Debrecen University and Tianjin University opened in the central building of the Eastern Hungary university on Friday.
Debrecen University rector Zoltán Szilvássy said that the university had already over fifty cooperation deals with Chinese universities. In addition to educational institutions, the university has developed close relations with Chinese financial institutions and other economic players in recent years, he added.
More than 300 Chinese students are attending Debrecen University and China is one of its most important strategic partners, Szilvássy said.
The Confucius Institute will function as a hub for Chinese culture, language, science and philosophy at the university, he said, adding that Chinese language skills and understanding the Chinese way of thinking have become basic interests for every European institution.
Duan Jielong, Chinese ambassador to Hungary, said China was an open and receptive culture and operated over 500 Confucius institutes around the world.
The Confucius Institute opened in Debrecen today is the fifth one in Hungary, following the ones in Budapest, Miskolc, Pécs and Szeged.