Provost Susan D. Martin traveled to China last weekend to receive the 2015 Confucius Institute Individual Performance Excellence Award at the opening ceremony of the tenth Confucius Institute Conference in Shanghai.
UT’s Confucius Institute opened in 2012 and held its inauguration festivities in 2013.
In nominating Martin for the honor, UT Confucius Institute officials described federal visa recalls that could have derailed UT’s plans to establish its Confucius Institute.
“UT became the first U.S. university to establish a Confucius Institute in the U.S. after the visa issue,” the nomination said. “This effort reflects strong support to the Confucius Institute from Provost Susan Martin.”
Martin chairs the advisory board for UT’s Confucius Institute.
The recommendation praised Martin and Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek for encouraging the Confucius Institute “to continue its efforts of enhancing the teaching and learning of Chinese language and culture as well as development comprehensive collaboration and exchange program with institutions in China.”
The nomination concluded by saying Martin’s support has encouraged a variety of successful collaborations between UT and its Chinese partner in the Confucius Institute, Southeast University in Nanjing, China. Those programs have included student, faculty and staff exchanges, an English immersion summer program, and an online business student exchange program.