The famed 112-year old Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China on Tuesday announced the establishment of a Yunus Centre for Microcredit and Social Business to promote the ideas promoted by Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus.
The new Centre will be managed through a broad based partnership between Sun Yat-sen University and Professor Yunus.
This was announced at the inauguration of the International Forum of Microcredit and Social Business organised by Sun Yat-sen University business school and the Time Weekly media group, according to a Yunus Centre press release issued on Tuesday.
Professor Yunus was the chief guest at the programme.
The centre will set up sustainable microfinance programs for the poor in China, as well as introduce social business in the community’s initially in Guang Dong province and later expanded to other provinces.
Academic courses will be offered at the university’s business school.
A team from Yunus Centre and Grameen Trust were working with the faculty, management of the university and the Time Weekly media group to set the programmes.
Since 1994, Grameen Trust had been implementing 17 microfinance projects in 10 provinces in China including Hebei, Henan, Yunnan, Inner Mongolia and in earthquake affected Sichuan.
During Professor Yunus’ tour of China, he also addressed business forums in Hong Kong, Beijing and Taipei which were attended by government representatives, business leaders and students.