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Chinese Vice Education Minister Tian Xuejun (L) awards a certificate to a local student who has excelled in Chinese language proficiency test at an unveiling ceremony of University College Dublin (UCD) Model Confucius Institute in Dublin, Ireland, Feb. 26, 2019. The unveiling ceremony of UCD Model Confucius Institute was held here on Tuesday. (Xinhua)

DUBLIN, Feb.27 (Xinhua) -- The Confucius Institute run by University College Dublin (UCD) in collaboration with its Chinese partner was awarded "Model Confucius Institute" on Tuesday at an unveiling ceremony?in its new teaching building.

Chinese Vice Education Minister Tian Xuejun and President of UCD Andrew J. Deeks jointly unveiled the Model Confucius Institute title at the newly completed state-of-the-art teaching building of UCD Confucius Institute with the company of Chinese Ambassador to Ireland Yue Xiaoyong and UCD Confucius Institute Director Wang Liming.

Over 100 people including students and faculty staff of UCD Confucius Institute attended the ceremony.

Established with the Beijing-based Renmin University of China in 2006, UCD Confucius Institute is the one of the earliest Confucius Institutes and also among the first group of Model Confucius Institutes, said Tian. He also praised the unique role played by the institute in building the friendship between China and Ireland.

Tian said that currently there are 548 Confucius Institutes in 154 countries and regions, aiming to help people from all over the world learn the Chinese language, understand China and promote communication and friendship between the Chinese people and people of other countries, said Tian.

The teaching building of UCD Confucius Institute where the unveiling ceremony was held is a symbol of the collaboration between UCD and China as well as the support that UCD Confucius Institute has received from the Irish and Chinese governments, said UCD President Andrew J. Deeks.

2019 marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic ties between China and Ireland. As an important part of the bilateral relations, the educational exchanges and cooperation between the two countries have witnessed a strong growing momentum in recent years, said Chinese Ambassador to Ireland Yue Xiaoyong at the ceremony.

Tian visited Ireland with a delegation from the Chinese Ministry of Education to hold the 5th Meeting of the China-Ireland Joint Working Group on Education with the Irish Department of Education and Skills.

During its stay in Ireland, the delegation will also sign a cooperation agreement with National University Ireland Galway on setting up a third Confucius Institute in the country.