Confucius says Pitt is worthy

Pittsburgh and Wuhan, China have more in common than one might think cities at opposite… Pittsburgh and Wuhan, China have more in common than one might think cities at opposite sides of the world could.

In Wuhan, the Han River converges with the Yangtze River to form the larger section of the Yangtze and hence, the shape of a triangle. And in Pittsburgh, the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers form the Ohio River at their point – better known as the Golden Triangle.

Pittsburgh and Wuhan also share histories as steel-production powerhouses, and both cities have worked for decades to redefine themselves as centers for technology and research.

Both cities are also home to major universities – Wuhan with 35 and Pittsburgh with 13.

Because of these similarities, the two cities agreed to become sister cities in 1982.

On Sept. 26, Pittsburgh will forge another link with Wuhan as it officially inaugurates Pitt’s Asian Studies Center as a Confucius Institute. The institutes are established to provide outreach programs in Chinese language and culture.

Across the globe, 144 Confucius Institutes have been established, with 22 in the United States. Pitt will be the first in Pennsylvania.

Pitt’s Confucius Institute plans to offer Chinese language instruction throughout Pittsburgh, help train Chinese language teachers and promote Chinese culture in the community.

As one of its first actions, the Pittsburgh-based organization has already placed two teachers from Wuhan University into area high schools and grade schools to offer Chinese language instruction for students.

Yancheng Zhang, one of the Wuhan University professors who will be teaching at nine North Hills schools this coming year, arrived in Pittsburgh on Aug. 17.

Zhang said he has felt welcome in the city and that many of Pittsburgh’s beauties mirror the beauties he knew in Wuhan. He has also noticed elements of the American education system that he believes can benefit the Chinese.

“Taking American culture back to China is very important,” he said. “I also want to do something special here, do something for my classes so the students learn from me and the Chinese.”

With a Chinese language program being established in area schools, Michele Heryford, Pitt’s assistant director of Asian Studies, said she hopes that Pitt can expand its Asian Studies program to accommodate more students who are interested in obtaining Pitt’s certificate for teaching Chinese as a second language.

Consequently, as more certified Chinese language teachers graduate from Pitt, the public school systems will have a greater opportunity to offer Chinese as a permanent language option, said Heryford.

Bringing in teachers from China allows Pitt “to short circuit that system,” she said. “Now, we don’t have enough teachers coming out of the certification system. Instead we’re bringing them in directly, training them and placing them.”

Heryford said the Confucius Institute also gives regional businesses an opportunity to establish ties with Wuhan businesses and other Chinese companies.

The Chinese Gross Domestic Product has grown nearly 10 percent each year since 2002, and business connections between China and the United States are on the rise. The Confucius Institute provides both sides with a deeper connection, Heryford said, which she hopes will prove to be beneficial to the region.