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 West Virginia University is partnering with Tianjin University with the hopes of creating an institute dedicated to the Chinese language, culture and other educational fields.
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The Morgantown school announced the partnership on Thursday.
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The universities plan to apply to establish a Confucius Institute at WVU. If successful, WVU would join a group of colleges and universities around the globe that operate a Confucius Institute.
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The institute focuses on instruction in Chinese language and culture, economic and business development, and international trade.
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There are currently 71 such institutes in the U.S., with two of the closest being at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Maryland.