The unveiling ceremony of the Nigeria Research Center is held on Nov 17 at the School of Foreign Languages, Beijing Institute of Technology. 

The unveiling ceremony of the Nigeria Research Center was held on Nov 17 at the School of Foreign Languages, Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT). 

Xu Jia, vice dean of the school introduced the historical connections between the faculty and students of the school and Nigeria, as well as their involvement in the establishment of the Confucius Institute at the University of Lagos in Nigeria.

Li Jinglian, dean of the School of Foreign Languages said that the center's establishment provides more opportunities for students and faculty to conduct in-depth research on Nigeria, and it will serve as a bridge for communication and cooperation between China and Nigeria.

Researcher Li Zhibiao with the Institute of West Asian and African Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences expressed hope for the center and encouraged its faculty and students to leverage BIT's discipline to conduct quality research.

Professor Wang Yuwen from the School of Foreign Languages introduced the initial intention and future development direction of the center, hoping to attract outstanding scholars and experts to promote in-depth research on Nigeria's history, culture, economy, and society.

After the unveiling ceremony, Li Zhibiao delivered a presentation entitled "Reflections on Hot Topics in Current African Studies".

The center's establishment marks an important step for BIT's School of Foreign Languages in regional and country-specific research. Its faculty and students will fully utilize BIT's advantages in multilingual resources and disciplinary backgrounds to conduct research on Nigeria, and explore effective ways of spreading Chinese culture. It will provide more opportunities for exchange and practical platforms for them, help broaden their research horizons and promote cooperative research between Chinese and Nigerian scholars.