The 2026 Council Meeting of the Wuhan University of Technology‑University of Lorraine Confucius Institute took place on October 14 at the University of Lorraine’s Saulcy Campus in France. Led by Wang Fazhou, President of WUT and Chinese Chair of the Confucius Institute Council, the university’s delegation included council members from the Personnel Office and the International Office, among others. The meeting was chaired by Hélène BOULANGER, President of the University of Lorraine and Foreign Chair of the Council. Doan TRAN, Deputy Mayor of Metz, France, attended and delivered an address.

On behalf of Wuhan University of Technology, Wang Fazhou thanked the University of Lorraine and the City of Metz for their long‑standing support for the Confucius Institute, and commended the institute’s achievements in advancing China‑France people‑to‑people exchanges and deepening cross‑university cooperation. He noted that the visit aimed to gain first‑hand insight into the institute’s operations and build greater consensus on educational and research collaboration between the two universities. He proposed further cooperation along three key lines anchored on the Confucius Institute, which include enhancing the development of the Confucius Institute, jointly building a global immersive learning hub, and expanding educational, scientific and technological collaboration.

Boulanger welcomed Wang Fazhou and his delegation. She spoke highly of the long‑term friendship between the two universities and the Confucius Institute’s performance. Founded in 2012, the institute has grown into a key platform for Chinese‑language education and cultural exchange in the Lorraine region, and has helped foster mutual understanding between Chinese and French peoples. She called for broader cooperation, more faculty‑student exchanges, and joint research to continuously advance the bilateral partnership.

During the council session, both sides held in‑depth discussions on topics including faculty development, signature brand‑building and sustainable development of the Confucius Institute, as well as educational and research partnerships between the two universities. Both sides agreed that the Confucius Institute should fully play its bridging role. Through educational exchanges to boost mutual understanding, science‑and‑technology cooperation to pool expertise, and youth‑to‑people contacts to sustain long‑term friendship, the institute will contribute to the China‑France comprehensive strategic partnership.

Written by: Cao Jianshu, Yu Yanyang, Qiao Jiang, Shui Jingjing

Rewritten by: Mei Mengqi

Edited by: Yu Bingjie

Source: International Office