Dr. Dennis M. Kratz, dean of the School of Arts and Humanities and the Ignacy and Celina Rockover Professor of Humanities, was awarded the Confucius Institute Individual Performance Excellence Award at a ceremony held in China during the 11th Confucius Institute Conference. The award was presented by China’s vice premier, Liu Yandong, on behalf of the Confucius Institute headquarters.
The award, given to 30 individuals selected from over 500 Confucius institutes worldwide, recognizes efforts to develop cultural ties with China. The Confucius Institute at UT Dallas has nominated Kratz twice.
“This is a well-deserved honor for Dr. Kratz, who has nurtured the Confucius Institute into an institution which has been recognized with a number of awards, including the Award for the Confucius Institute of the Year in 2014,” said Dr. Ming Dong Gu, director of UT Dallas’ institute.
Under Kratz’s leadership, the school established the Confucius Institute at UT Dallas in 2007. Since then, the program has expanded, offering courses on Chinese language and culture, Chinese teacher-training workshops and public lectures, and serving as a testing site for Chinese proficiency exams and a center for China studies in North Texas.
“Although presented to me, this award truly honors the dedicated service of professor Gu and associate director Sharon Yang,” Kratz said. “They are responsible for the continuing success and the bright future of our Confucius Institute.”