Confucius Institutes：Not only Chinese, but also global

In 2004, the first Confucius Institute was set up in the Republic of Korea. Today, this organization, as an cultural exchange institution for spreading the Chinese language and Chinese culture in the whole world—is already 12 years old. Over these 12 years, 140 countries have set up 511 Confucius Institutes and 1,073 Confucius classrooms in middle and primary schools. Students of all kinds now number 2.1 million, and the institute’s cultural activities have a collective audience of 13 million people.

This Year, the 11^th Confucius Institute Conference was held in Kunming from Dec. 11 to 12. Each year, many university presidents and deans of Confucius Institutes from different cultural backgrounds come  to the Conference to tell their stories. By listening to their stories, we may be able to answer the questions most often asked over the past 12 years. That is, what is the meaning of the Confucius Institute and why have they been established?

“Without Confucius Institutes, I would never have set foot in Bangladesh in my life,” said the Chinese Dean of the Confucius Institute at the North South University of Bangladesh, Guo Lei. He started to live in Bangladesh only at the beginning of this year.

Today, Confucius Institutes have already reached more than 140 countries. Those countries have helped the Chinese volunteers and teachers open up new vistas. Guo Lei’s partner, Atiqul Islam, Bangladeshi dean of the Confucius Institute of South-North University, is very willing to help Guo learn about everything in Bangladesh. He believes only through bidirectional interactions can meaningful exchanges form. At the Confucius Institute of South-North University, besides  lectures on Chinese language and culture by Chinese teachers, the institute also provides courses on local languages to Chinese teachers. It encourages them to join all kinds of activities. Just as Atiqul Islam said, “We hope China will also know us better through the Confucius Institute.”

Guo Lei has also begun to use a different angle to learn about this country. He mentions a security guard at North South University who often stayed outside the classroom to listen to the Chinese class and take notes. After the institute received this news, administrators offered the guard a chance to study at the Confucius Institute free of charge. “Just imagine, after a period of learning, although he did not have any basic knowledge of Chinese language, the guard passed the HSK and won a scholarship to come to China to begin his studies. Judging from this point, young people’s efforts for making progress are the same everywhere.”

Each Confucius Institute, and each worker at the Confucius Institute, has a story. The Confucius Institute is unique, different from any other cultural and educational institution in the world. It tells the world what China is, and gives people chances for mutual understanding and exchange. Perhaps it can even offer some new possibilities for the world. It looks Chinese, yet, judging from the exchanges between people with different skin colors and languages, it is global. Just as Mr. Jim Cooney, vice-provost of Colorado State University in the United States, and senior adviser at the headquarters of the Confucius Institute said, it can sum up and upgrade our cultural exchanges.  

Confucius Institutes：Not only Chinese, but also global

In 2004, the first Confucius Institute was set up in the Republic of Korea. Today, this organization, as an cultural exchange institution for spreading the Chinese language and Chinese culture in the whole worldis already 12 years old. Over these 12 years, 140 countries have set up 511 Confucius Institutes and 1,073 Confucius classrooms in middle and primary schools. Students of all kinds now number 2.1 million, and the institutes cultural activities have a collective audience of 13 million people. This Year, the 11th Confucius Institute Conference was held in Kunming from Dec. 11 to 12. Each year, many university presidents and deans of Confucius Institutes from different cultural backgrounds come to the Conference to tell their stories. By listening to their stories, we may be able to answer the questions most often asked over the past 12 years. That is, what is the meaning of the Confucius Institute and why have they been established? Without Confucius Institutes, I would never have set foot in Bangladesh in my life, said the Chinese Dean of the Confucius Institute at the North South University of Bangladesh, Guo Lei. He started to live in Bangladesh only at the beginning of this year. Today, Confucius Institutes have already reached more than 140 countries. Those countries have helped the Chinese volunteers and teachers open up new vistas. Guo Leis partner, Atiqul Islam, Bangladeshi dean of the Confucius Institute of South-North University, is very willing to help Guo learn about everything in Bangladesh. He believes only through bidirectional interactions can meaningful exchanges form. At the Confucius Institute of South-North University, besides lectures on Chinese language and culture by Chinese teachers, the institute also provides courses on local languages to Chinese teachers. It encourages them to join all kinds of activities. Just as Atiqul Islam said, We hope China will also know us better through the Confucius Institute. Guo Lei has also begun to use a different angle to learn about this country. He mentions a security guard at North South University who often stayed outside the classroom to listen to the Chinese class and take notes. After the institute received this news, administrators offered the guard a chance to study at the Confucius Institute free of charge. Just imagine, after a period of learning, although he did not have any basic knowledge of Chinese language, the guard passed the HSK and won a scholarship to come to China to begin his studies. Judging from this point, young peoples efforts for making progress are the same everywhere. Each Confucius Institute, and each worker at the Confucius Institute, has a story. The Confucius Institute is unique, different from any other cultural and educational institution in the world. It tells the world what China is, and gives people chances for mutual understanding and exchange. Perhaps it can even offer some new possibilities for the world. It looks Chinese, yet, judging from the exchanges between people with different skin colors and languages, it is global. Just as Mr. Jim Cooney, vice-provost of Colorado State University in the United States, and senior adviser at the headquarters of the Confucius Institute said, it can sum up and upgrade our cultural exchanges.