The Confucius Institute of Graz was officially established on Friday evening at the University of Graz, Austria.

Co-founded by the Jiangsu University of China and the University of Graz, it is the second Confucius Institute in Austria. It represents a further achievement in the field of education exchanges and cooperation between China and Austria.

Austrian students sang the Chinese song The Moon Represents My Heart on the opening ceremony of the Confucius Institute in University of Graz in Austria on October 29, 2010.

According to the Chinese director of Confucius Institute of Graz, Zhang Wenli, the main activity of the Confucius Institute of Graz is the Chinese language teaching, which would officially begin in November, 2010. It has now 3 classes in total with about 70 students.

The major work of the Confucius Institute is to support the Chinese language and culture teaching in Austria, aiming at promoting a better understanding of the Austrian people to Chinese language and culture.

In order to be able to start its teaching work as soon as possible, the Confucius Institute of Graz was authorized by the Confucius Institute Headquarters to use the name and logo of Confucius Institute.

It is also supported by the Jiangsu University, China, through providing teachers, textbooks, books, etc..

The University of Graz, Austria was founded in 1585, which was the second oldest university in Austria after the University of Vienna. It has high level especially in economics and social sciences. It is also a university with six Nobel laureates.

The Jiangsu University is key national university with its feature in engineering teaching and research. The establishment dates back to 1902.

Presently there are totally 282 Confucius Institutes and 272 Confucius Classrooms in 88 countries and regions.

The Confucius Institute of Graz was officially established on October 29, 2010 at the University of Graz, Austria. Co-founded by the Jiangsu University of China and the University of Graz, it is the second Confucius Institute in Austria. It represents a further achievement in the field of education exchanges and cooperation between China and Austria.

(Xinhua News Agency October 30, 2010)