UT is making changes to bolster its educational and research efforts throughout Asia. As part of the plan, the university will close its Confucius Institute and launch its own global programming.

“It’s part of the university’s mission to generate new knowledge through research and to educate the next generation of global citizens in the most relevant way possible,” said Gretchen Neisler, vice provost for international affairs. “We think we can do that more effectively by creating our own initiative for engagement in various regions of the world, and we plan to start with Asia.”

UT has provided the required six-month notice to the Confucius Institute Headquarters (Hanban) and Southeast University in Nanjing, the university’s Chinese partner in the Institute, of its intention to terminate the contract at the end of the spring semester.