LINCOLN, Neb. (KMTV) — The University of Nebraska-Lincoln announced the closure of its Confucius Institute on Friday.
The mission of UNL's Confucius Institute, like others at universities and K-12 schools across the country, is to teach the Chinese language, culture and society, it says. It partners with a university in China and receives part of its funding from the Chinese headquarters of the program.
In August, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the Confucius Institutes a "foreign mission" of China, and declared they must register as such.
“The financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our institution is substantial and it requires that we make tough choices,” UNL Chancellor Ronnie Green said in a statement. “This closure does not mean a reduction in our broader commitment to global engagement. We remain deeply committed to the support of our Chinese students, direct exchanges with Chinese universities and our partnerships in China and that region of the world.”
The move is part of UNL's $16.4 million budget cut after it announced Aug. 31.
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