Celebrating 10 years of Confucius Institute

Middle school students sing a Chinese song during the "Chinese Bridge" Chinese language competition of Swedish middle school and university students in Stockholm, capital of Sweden, April 10, 2011.[Photo/Xinhua]

Join hands and forge ahead for the future

Over the last 10 years, Confucius Institute has made remarkable achievement. It is the joint creation, common wealth and successful practice by friends and people who share good faith around the world.

A unique joint school-running model has been formed for Confucius Institutes. It has insisted on the mode of partnership between Chinese and overseas institutions. The Confucius Institute Headquarters strictly follows the Constitution and By-laws of Confucius Institutes, entering into agreements through full consultation after an overseas institution proposes application at their own will. In the establishment of Confucius Institutes, the model of having overseas institutions playing the major role, Chinese partnership institutions assisting in the process, and both parties raising funds together has been maintained, which has helped the two participating parties to form a partnership based on win-win collaboration, thus strongly facilitating the rapid growth of Confucius Institutes.

A rather full set of institutions have been shaped. In the development process of Confucius Institutes, a rather complete system of institutions has been formulated. The Council of the Confucius Institute Headquarters has passed the Constitution and By-laws of Confucius Institutes, and the Chinese Language Proficiency Scales for Speakers of Other Languages, the International Curriculum for Chinese Language Education, the Standards for Teachers of Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages have been drafted consecutively, which have effectively ensured the robust development of Confucius Institutes.

A sound momentum of making concerted efforts in running Confucius Institutes well has been maintained. The annual Confucius Institute Conference, which has become a platform for world’s Confucius Institute representatives to draw on best practices, contribute ideas, exchange experiences and consult on development goals, has played important role in raising the overall level of Confucius Institute management and performance. Quality teachers sent by the Chinese partner universities have become the backbone to the Confucius Institutes, through their conscientious work and devotion. The Chinese Embassies and Consulates give their all-out support to the cause and have done a lot of coordinating work for the development of Confucius Institutes. Relevant Chinese ministries and the Chinese society have been giving their full support to the Confucius Institutes. The Confucius Institute Headquarters (Hanban) have been striving forward, working hard on every step and breaking new grounds in terms of the teaching Chinese as a foreign language globally.