Earlier this month, the UCD Confucius Institute for Ireland organized a series of Chinese culture classes for undergraduate students majoring in Commerce and Chinese Studies, where the students had the unique experience of working with Chinese water-ink paintings, Chinese martial arts and traditional Chinese musical instruments, including the ‘Guzheng’ (Chinese Harp), under the direction of Chinese teachers. The classes were warmly welcomed and highly commended by the students. 

As part of the ongoing work on the Teaching Pack for secondary schools in Ireland, the UCD Confucius Institute for Ireland held a feedback workshop for Irish teachers involved in using the CII/NCCA Teaching Pack. This workshop was held in the UCD Quinn School of Business on 2nd December 2011.

On November Friday 18th 2011, the second Confucius Classroom affiliated to UCD Confucius Institute for Ireland was launched by the Chinese Ambassador, H.E. Mr. Luo Linquan in Belvedere College S.J.

On the afternoon of October 29th, 2011, UCD Confucius Institute for Ireland held a PhD forum in UCD’s Newman Building. About 80 attendants including government-sponsored scholars and international students in the Dublin area participated in this forum. The President of UCD Dr. Hugh Brady, Director of the UCD Confucius Institute for Ireland Dr. Liming Wang, Prof. Cathal Brugha and Prof. Patrick Walsh also attended this forum, joining the cooperation of building a forum which targets the high end of academia and PhD research.

On Oct. 21st, the UCD Confucius Institute for Ireland (CII) successfully held the 2nd Training Program on Teaching Chinese Language and Culture for secondary school teachers. 

The late autumn of Dublin basked below the clear sky and warm sunshine, with the crisp air of maple leaves. In a quaint Chinese restaurant, UCD CII’s sixth Chinese Food Culture Workshop kicked off. The UCD Business and Chinese Studies students took part in this exciting activity with their Chinese teachers from the UCD Confucius Institute.

Last Thursday night, 22nd September, dignitaries including His Excellency Mr. Luo Linquan, Ambassador to Ireland for The People’s Republic of China and UCD President Dr. Hugh Brady gathered at the Swan Centre Omniplex for the first Confucius Institute for Ireland Made In China Film Festival.  The audience for the official launch was captivated by the movie Assembly  on the big screen at the Swan Omniplex in Rathmines, Co. Dublin.

Chinese language and culture are going to enter The Transition Year Programme in Irish secondary schools after four years of painstaking effort from the UCD Confucius Institute for Ireland.

The mayor of Beijing, Mr Guo Jinlong attended the Fifth Anniversary Celebration of the UCD Confucius Institute for Ireland (CII) along with a delegation from the Beijing government. Minister for Education and Skills, Dr. Ruari Quinn, TD, the Chinese Ambassador to Ireland, H.E. Mr Luo Linquan and the President of University College Dublin, Dr. Hugh Brady, also attended the event.

The UCD Confucius Institute for Ireland is celebrating it's 5th anniversary this year and as part of the celebrations we are presenting the Made in China film festival.

The UCD Confucius Institute for Ireland and the Irish Institute for Chinese Studies at UCD organised and hosted a major 2-day international conference on the theme of ‘China’s Economic Dynamics and Its Impacts on the World Economy: A Beijing Consensus in the Making’ held at O’Reilly Hall on July 14th and Quinn School of Business on July 15th, 2011.

In 9 April 2011, UCD Confucius Institute for Ireland successfully held the Chinese Proficiency Test –the HSK Test.

On 21 March 2011, over 40 students attended their evening course Graduation Ceremony in UCD Confucius Institute for Ireland (CII).

On the 26th of March 2011, UCD Confucius Institute for Ireland successfully held the Irish final of the 10th Chinese Bridge Competition for world college students. The event was attended by more than a hundred people, including the Chinese ambassador to Ireland Mr. Liu Biwei, the First Secretary of the Chinese embassy Prof. Dong Huiqing, student representatives from the Confucius Classroom, student’s parents, representatives from the Irish Chinese community and representatives from many areas of Irish society. Everyone in attendance was engrossed in the marvellous performances, and in the end 6 students from various Irish universities took home the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes.

How big is China, how quick is it developing, how mysterious is her culture, how do her people live? These are just some of the many questions that have been answered for the students from Belvedere College Dublin, having just come back from an amazing trip to China. They witnessed first-hand some eye-opening sights and experienced the China that is now so important on the world stage.

Meticulously organized by a special committee, UCD Confucius Institute’s first national table tennis championship was held at the IWA club on 27th February 2011.

There was a special surprise for the audience at this year's annual Spring Festival Gala in the National Concert Hall: A special message from the Irish president Mary Mc Aleese, brimming with best wishes for all concerned. She praised the fantastic line-up of performances which would showcase China's unique and remarkable culture, congratulated UCD Confucius Institute on their staging such a great show to celebrate the New Year, and wished all the Chinese in Ireland a Happy New Year!

The Spring Festival Gala of Ireland celebrating the Chinese New Year (Year of the Rabbit, 2011) will take place at National Concert Hall.