Nicholls State University offers two cane sugar institutes each year during the summer. They include the International Sugar Cane Refiners’ Institute, which began in 1978, and the International Raw Cane Sugar Manufacturers’ Institute, which began in 1985. The success of these institutes can be contributed to many factors such as timely topics, excellent professors, Cajun food, southern hospitality and especially the support of organizations such as the Sugar Industry Technologists, American Society of Sugarcane Technologists, the American Sugarcane League and of course the many sugar companies, mills and refineries around the world. All these programs have the same format, two weeks of intense day long discussions on the various and timely topics of each aspect of sugar production.