TUNIS, May 15 (Xinhua) -- The Tourism Confucius Institute of Tunisian University of Sousse, established jointly by Beijing International Studies University (BISU) and the University of Sousse, was officially unveiled on Thursday, becoming the second Confucius Institute in Tunisia.
Chinese Ambassador to Tunisia Wan Li said at the launch ceremony that the institute's opening is part of the efforts to implement the outcomes of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, and to deepen the strategic partnership between China and Tunisia.
It marked a shift in Chinese language education in Tunisia -- from a traditional language-teaching approach to a more integrated "Language Plus" model that develops "interdisciplinary talent," the ambassador said.
Li Biyou, chairperson of the University Council of BISU, said the institute aims to develop professionals with both Chinese-language proficiency and expertise in tourism, in support of the cultural and tourism development of the two countries.
Lotfi Belkacem, the rector of the University of Sousse, said the establishment of the institute marks a milestone in deepening the partnership between the two nations, expressing hope that the institute will serve as a bridge to enhance mutual understanding, promote people-to-people exchanges, and help expand bilateral cooperation.
The first Confucius Institute in Tunisia, jointly established by China's Dalian University of Foreign Languages and Tunisia's Carthage University, was launched in 2019.
