On May 14, Lilja D. Alfreðsdóttir, Icelandic Minister of Education, Science and Culture, and her delegation paid a visit to BFSU. Wang Dinghua, Chairman of BFSU University Council, and Jia Wenjian, Vice President, met with the Icelandic delegation.

Wang welcomed the delegation and expressed his gratitude to the Icelandic Government for their long-term support to the Icelandic language program in BFSU. Wang briefed the guests about the history, disciplinary development and education models of BFSU, focusing in particular on the development of the Icelandic language program since its inception in 2005 as well as on the future development plan for the Center for Icelandic Studies. Wang also expressed his wish to see a bigger role played by the Icelandic language program and the Center for Icelandic Studies in promoting China-Iceland relations.

Alfreðsdóttir commended BFSU on the development of its Icelandic language program and high quality education offered by the program, mentioning in particular the important role of language and cultural courses in our bilateral relations. On behalf of the Icelandic government, she expressed their readiness to support the development of the Icelandic language program in BFSU. In addition, she also talked about some of the positive outcomes of her visit to China in the field of culture, education and sports.

Professor Zhang Weidong, a BFSU alumus, former ambassador to Iceland and a guest researcher for the Center for Icelandic Studies, expressed his welcome to the delegation and his wish for a bigger role of BFSU in China-Iceland future relations.

Students of Class 2022 from the Icelandic language program sang a song with lyric by Halldór Laxness, a well-known Nobel Prize winner in Iceland, and recited 5 poems by ancient and modern Icelandic poets.