Understanding Chinese culture by learning the language will become easier in South Florida.

With the stroke of a pen on Thursday, Miami Dade College President Eduardo Padrón finalized a deal for the college to house the area's first Confucius Institute at the Wolfson Campus in downtown Miami.

Present at the ceremony was Yan Guohua, consul of education for the People's Republic of China, who traveled from Houston.

``This is a very big event not only for the college but for the Chinese people,'' Guohua said. ``When people learn our language it brings about an understanding of the culture and serves as a bridge between our people.''

Padrón added: ``This will continue to further our educational endeavors with China.''

At the institute, Chinese will be taught and teachers will be certified; information about China's education system will be available and cultural and business seminars will be hosted.

The not-for-profit institute will open within a year.

MDC's Confucius Institute is the first in South Florida, but the second in the state.

The University of South Florida in Tampa opened its own in November -- and the school calls it a success.

``Our institute is flourishing and helping to make USF a truly great global university,'' said Maria Crummett, USF's dean of International Affairs.

The USF's Chinese institute works closely with local educational institutions, including the K-12 schools to jointly develop Chinese language and culture programs.

In June, the institute held a weeklong Chinese language and culture workshop for Hillsborough county teachers. And it has supported community events like the Chinese New Year.

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