First Office of Confucius Institutes at Chinese Universities Celebrates Its Tenth Anniversary of Establishment

From June 2nd to 3rd, 2017, the "Celebration of the Tenth Anniversary of the Establishment of Office of the Confucius Institutes at Beijing Foreign Studies University—Forum on Sustainable Development of Confucius Institutes of Chinese Organizing Universities" was held in Beijing. Nearly 170 principals from 48 universities including Beijing Foreign Studies University, Peking University, Fudan University, Xiamen University, Nanjing University, Beijing Language and Culture University, Dalian University of Foreign Languages, Nankai University, University of International Business and Economics, and Beijing Normal University gathered together to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the Office of Confucius Institutes at Beijing Foreign Studies University. Peng Long, President of Beijing Foreign Studies University, Xia Jianhui, Deputy Chief Executive of the Confucius Institute Headquarters and Deputy Director-General of Hanban, and Zhang Wangxi, President Assistant of Beijing Language and Culture University attended the conference and delivered speeches.

Opening ceremony venue

Peng Long pointed out that Confucius Institutes created a miracle in the history of language transmission. Over 200 universities participated in the construction of Confucius Institutes successively, becoming the main forces in this process. In May, 2007, Beijing Foreign Studies University was among the first to establish the Office of Confucius Institutes. In the past ten years, despite any difficulties, Beijing Foreign Studies University had built complete talent training and cultural experience project systems at all levels with great ambition and innovation, which guaranteed the healthy development of Confucius Institutes as well as accumulates valuable experience. Under the new circumstances, Beijing Foreign Studies University will gather all forces in the university, train high-level international Chinese teaching and management talents as well as translators for all Confucius Institutes worldwide, especially the Confucius Institutes in countries along the "Belt and Road" initiative, and actively provide non-English language cultural service so as to better serve our country's global strategy.

Peng Long delivering the opening address

In the speech, Xia Jianhui fully affirmed the achievements made by the Confucius Institute at Beijing Foreign Studies University, and extended heartfelt gratitude to all organizing universities for their contributions to the construction of Confucius Institutes. Xia Jianhui put forward two demands on the organization work of Confucius Institutes at Chinese universities: strengthen the academic and intellectual support by Chinese universities in the construction of Confucius Institutes; integrate all kinds of resources in the universities in order to turn them into the subject that runs Confucius Institutes. Xia Jianhui pointed out that this activity was not only a celebration of the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the first Office of Confucius Institutes in China, but also a forum of specific significance for the construction of Confucius Institutes. He hoped that Chinese universities would draw on the wisdom of the masses and jointly promote the development of Confucius Institutes.

Xia Jianhui delivering the opening speech

Zhang Wangxi congratulated on the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the office in his speech, shared the important experience of establishing the Confucius Institute at Beijing Foreign Studies University, and suggested that Chinese organizing universities cooperate with each other to make greater contributions to the cause of Confucius Institutes.

At the meeting, Zhang Xiaohui, Director of the Office of Confucius Institutes at Beijing Foreign Studies University gave a work report on the ten-year construction of Confucius Institutes which summarized and outlined the concepts, strategies, measures of the organization work of the institute, and the work orientation looking into the future. The meeting also commended 9 groups and 15 individuals who had made outstanding contributions to the construction of Confucius Institutes in the past decade.

Following the speeches, Ning Jiming, Dean of College of International Education of Shandong University and Director of the Office of Confucius Institutes, and Director of the Southern Base of Confucius Institute Headquarters and the Office of Confucius Institute Affairs of Xiamen University made keynote speeches respectively. They shared their own understanding about the construction and future development of Confucius Institutes.

On the evening of June 2nd, Beijing Foreign Studies University held a report-back performance on the Confucius Institute’s cultural activities with the theme of "Eventful Years, Forge Ahead", in which all teachers and students in the university reviewed and experienced the innovation and achievements made by the university to promote the cultural transmission of China.

On June 3rd, at the Forum on Sustainable Development of Confucius Institutes at Chinese Universities, surrounding the two topics of "Improving supporting ability, promoting the new development of Confucius Institutes" and "Establishing overseas institutes, accelerating the internationalization of Chinese universities", principals from the administrations of Confucius Institutes at over 40 universities conducted in-depth discussions, shared thoughts and practices about the related work in the universities, and proposed their ideas and suggestions on further development of Confucius Institutes.

The forum venue

The group photo of the attendees

The Office of Confucius Institutes at Beijing Foreign Studies University was established in May, 2007, which was the first office of Confucius Institutes at China's universities. The establishment of the office ushered in the special management of Confucius Institutes by Chinese universities. The past decade has witnessed the increasingly deeper thoughts on promoting the internationalization of Chinese language and increasingly stronger support in the cause of Confucius Institutes by Chinese universities. The organization work of Confucius Institutes has become a vital part of the internationalization of Chinese universities.

At present, Beijing Foreign Studies University offered 84 foreign languages courses. By 2020, the construction of language courses will include all national languages of the countries that establish diplomatic relations with China. The university makes efforts to fulfill the dual missions of "Introduce China to the world, and introduce the world to China", serving the strategic demand of the country forwardly and actively participating in the construction of overseas Confucius Institutes. Up to now, the university has organized 22 Confucius Institutes in 17 countries, ranking the first among Chinese universities. In the past decade, the university had trained over 550 talents in Master of Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages, sent over 700 management and teaching talents of all kinds to overseas Confucius Institutes and Chinese education institutes, making prominent contributions to the healthy development of Confucius Institutes.