Narrative
Full Description
Project narrative
Circa on March 16, 2015, Hanban entered into a $1 million USD grant with the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa for the renovation of the Confucius Institute at the University of Hawaii at Manoa as part of its designation as a "Model Confucius Institute". Specifically, the grant would have supported the 80% of the budget to renovate and decorate 6,000 square feet on the first-floor makai wing of Moore Hall on the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa campus in Honolulu, Hawaii into the dedicated site of the Model Confucius Institute by constructing a restored and modern classroom space, a new conference room, a reading room, and staff offices, including state-of-the-art technology supporting courses related to Chinese language and culture. The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa provided $250,000 USD for the renovation. The Model Confucius Institute was to occupy the space for 30 years. The agreement included withdrawal penalties. Renovation was expected to take two years from planning to completion, with the new space scheduled for completion by fall 2017. The renovation was completed. Record ID#44002 captures the grant for the original establishment of the Confucius Institute at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. In 2019, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa closed its Confucius Institute. As a result, the withdrawal penalties became relevant, with the university and Hanban disagreeing about the formula to be applied. Hanban argued that that the 30-year period would begin upon completion of the renovations for a refund of $913,000 USD, while the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa argued that the 30-year period began with the signing of the agreement or a refund of $866,667 USD. While Hanban reiterated that its calculation was correct, it stated that out of its "goodwill" it would honor the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa calculation; University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa paid the $866,667 USD owed.