BISMARCK (AP) -- Dickinson State University and North Dakota State University plan to establish new ties with Chinese universities and offer Chinese language classes.
North Dakota's Board of Higher Education on Thursday approved requests from Dickinson State and NDSU to establish "Confucius Institutes" in Dickinson and Fargo. The two North Dakota colleges could both get up to $100,000 annually to pay for Chinese language teachers, books and materials.
Dickinson State already has about 250 Chinese students. North Dakota State says the institute in Fargo would educate students and business people about Chinese language and culture.
North Dakota university system vice chancellor Mike Hillman says the institutes offer continuing education programs about China. He says they don't award degrees.
