Centre for Chinese Studies plans in the works

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By Richard Cairney, ExpressNews Staff


Dr. Murray Gray


7 i3 C  X2 k" J5 q2 JApril 25, 2005 - With the donation of $37 million worth of rare Chinese textiles from the Mactaggart family last week and the announcement in the Alberta Government's throne speech that it has set aside funds that would enable the University of Alberta to establish a Centre for Chinese Studies, the U of A has struck a task force to help determine the centre's activities and makeup.

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- v5 G# \- f' _4 v, SAnd Dr. Murray Gray, a professor of chemical and material engineering and former dean of students, is heading up the China Centre Development Task Force. The first job, he notes, is to take stock of all the major initiatives on campus that are related to China.
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"We want to get word out about what the task force is doing and that if anyone is willing to submit ideas we are willing to accept them," said Gray. "We're looking for ways to structure this to best benefit the university."

2 h) m4 @! Y5 b& t4 x8 UThe centre took an important step towards becoming a reality when the provincial government announced, in the spring throne speech, the establishment of a $3 billion Access to the Future Fund. The fund will, among other things, provide matching funds for initiatives such as the new Centre for Chinese Studies. The institute has been proposed to promote greater understanding of the culture, language and history of one of the world's largest economies and a country with which Alberta – and the U of A in particular – has held a lasting relationship.

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) U7 ]6 |' I" G7 s4 F/ JAt the time, U of A President Rod Fraser said the centre would take advantage of strong relationships the university has forged with China. The Faculties of Education, Agriculture, Forestry and Home Economics and the School of Business have played leading roles in building educational ties to China, from basic literacy in rural areas and agricultural and reforestation projects to educating that country's highest-ranking civil servants.
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6 t( V* I; |( w! P# k9 ]The new centre, Fraser said, should offer mobility for students, faculty and staff, offer professional development, take advantage of new research funding from the Chinese government and donors, and should position itself as a leading centre on Chinese international affairs and be seen as "one of the world's absolute best centres of Chinese studies."

"Dr. Fraser has been active for many years promoting the establishment of a centre for the study of China and for fostering research relationships and academic interchange across multiple disciplines so this centre certainly goes beyond studying China, it also goes to getting people in China interested in Alberta, so there is element of reciprocity," said Gray. "I know Dr. Fraser has been pushing this idea for some time both to potential donors and the provincial government."

The donation made by the Mactaggart family last week is playing a key role in financing the centre, giving the university a donation with which to apply for matching funds. Now, Gray says, the idea is to provide a more solid framework for the centre, but the slate isn't entirely blank.

& ^1 V3 q* s* d8 P/ [+ Y"The clear direction is that it will be an academic centre, not a physical centre, and the term we are headed towards is 'institute', so it will be an active umbrella with organizations that span all faculties," he said.

& [3 G" O, `6 D* u0 l3 t1 L2 N& I8 aIf the provincial government matches the Mactaggart's gift, the U of A would be able to fund the centre with income from an endowment of about $1.2 million per year, he said.

"That is the potential base for the institute – we would look at that as a starting point for a very active set of activities, assuming it is duly matched."

Gray said that "most faculties" have some relationship with China and the idea is "to reinforce and strengthen what is happening on campus" in establishing the centre.

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