On Wednesday, October 23, 2024, the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh) hosted a visit from members of the partner Shanghai International Studies University (SISU). The visit coincided with the annual meeting of the Confucius Institute’s Board of Directors. This meeting alternates between Shanghai and Thessaloniki each year.

During the meeting, participants discussed the Confucius Institute’s 2023 activities, explored ways to deepen cooperation between AUTh and SISU, and outlined plans for the Institute’s future operations. The meeting concluded with the signing of an agreement outlining the Institute’s operating regulations.

Attendees included AUTh Rector Professor Charalambos Feidas, Vice-Rector Professor Georgios Tzetzis, the Greek Director of the Confucius Institute, Ms. Roula Tsolkalidou, and other key university officials. The Chinese delegation was led by SISU Vice President Yi Yonggang and included representatives from the university’s International Cooperation and Exchange Office, the Department of European and Latin American Studies, and the Confucius Institute’s Shanghai office.

Founded in 2018 in partnership with SISU and the Confucius Institute Headquarters, the Confucius Institute at AUTh began operating in the 2019-2020 academic year. Its mission is to promote Chinese culture through Chinese language instruction, cultural and educational events, and collaborative programs between the two universities.