Delegation Discusses Possible Academic Collaborations A delegation from the University of Dubai (UD) visited the Republic of China to discuss possible academic and research collaborations with a number of leading Chinese universities including Peking University and Ningxia University. They also visited the headquarters of the Confucius Institute which has a major branch at the University of Dubai. The delegation was headed by Dr. Nasser Al-Murqqab, Vice-President for Administrative Affairs at University of Dubai, and included the directors of departments. Last month, Dr. Eesa Al Bastaki, UD President, was granted the “The Excellence Award of the Year” by the Vice President of the Republic of China for his continuous support and efforts to maintain the strong relationships between the UAE and China. The visit came as a follow-up to Dr. Eesaís award. Dr. Muraqqab said that UD is going to sign Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with both universities to facilitate the flow and exchange of knowledge, students and faculty members. ìThe MoU aims at strengthening the bonds between UD and both universities and advancing research and education in several areas.î Peking University for Language and Cultural Studies is specialized in teaching Chinese to non-native speakers and foreign students including a large number of Arabs. The university has more than 42,000 students. The headquarters of the Confucius Institute for Teaching Chinese Language and Culture, which has a total of 1225 centers around the world, were also visited by the delegation to evaluate UD Institute’s performance and strengthen relationships. The University of Dubai has one of the best centers of the Confucius Institutes in the region. It attracts more than 200 students annually from citizens and residents. It trains students through multiple stages and levels of Chinese Culture and Language proficiency and provides them with the appropriate methods of creating projects for idea benefiting the community.