Confucius Institute
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Confucius Institute (simplified Chinese: 孔子学院; traditional Chinese: 孔子學院; pinyin: kǒngzǐ xuéyuàn) is a non-profit public institute which aims at promoting Chinese language and culture and supporting local Chinese teaching internationally through affiliated Confucius Institutes. Its headquarters is in Beijing and is under the The Office of Chinese Language Council International or Hanban (汉办).
Background
After establishing a pilot institute in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in June 2004, the first Confucius Institute opened on November 21, 2004 in Seoul, Republic of Korea and many more have been established in other countries, such as the U.S., Germany and Sweden, where Chinese enjoys an increasing popularity. The most recent opening was at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota on September 19, 2008. The first Confucius Institute in South Eastern Europe was opened in August 2006 in Belgrade, Serbia[1]. As of April 2009, there were 328 Confucius Institutes in 82 countries and regions.[2] The Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China estimates that, by the year 2010, there will be approximately 100 million non-Chinese worldwide learning Chinese as a foreign language, and it plans to set up 500 Confucius Institutes worldwide[3][4] The Office aims to establish 1,000 Confucius Institutes by 2020.[5]
Criticism
The Confucius Institute has been subjected to western criticism from several quarters. Western critics of the Institute have pointed out that unlike other cultural institutes such as the British Council and the Goethe Institute, the Confucius Institute usually operates within universities and exercises certain influence over the courses taught at those institutions. This, critics say, may jeopardize the integrity of those institutions.[6]
The Institute has also attracted concern from some Western governments. Members of the Swedish Riksdag have expressed concerns that the Institute provides a platform for the Chinese government.[7] The Canadian Security Intelligence Service said the Institute is part of China's bid to win over western hearts.[8]
Virtual worlds
The Michigan State University Confucius Institute has entered the virtual world Second Life to create an "educational island" for learners of Mandarin using simplified characters as of 2007.
List of Institutes
Listed by alphabetical order according to country of location.
Armenia
Australia
- University of Adelaide [4]
- University of Melbourne [5]
- University of Sydney [6]
- University of Western Australia [7]
Austria
Belarus
Belgium
Bulgaria
Canada
- British Columbia Institute of Technology [12]
- University of Waterloo [13]
- Confucius Institute (Moncton, New Brunswick).[14]
- Dawson College & Université de Sherbrooke[15]
- Edmonton Public Schools [16]
- McMaster University [17] [18]
Colombia
Costa Rica
Finland
France
Germany
- Free University of Berlin [24]
- Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nurenberg [25]
- University of Duesseldorf [26]
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
- Jakarta Confucius Institute, Announced September 28, 2007.[9]
Iran
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Japan
- Aichi University [32]
- Hokuriku University [33]
- Obirin University [34]
- Ritsumeikan University [35]
- Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University [36]
- Sapporo University [37]
Kenya
Lebanon
Mexico
The Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Pakistan
Peru
- Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru [45]
- University of Piura [46]
- Universidad Catolica Santa Maria of Arequipa [47]
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
- University of Minho [50]
- University of Lisbon [51]
Romania
Russia
- Novosibirsk State University [53]
- Blagoveschensk State Pedagogical University [54]
- Kazan State University [55]
Rwanda
Serbia
Singapore
South Africa
South Korea
- Kangwon National University [60]
- Keimyung University [61] Announced April 25, 2007
- Daehul University [62] Announced June 19, 2007
- Chungbuk National University [63] Established on September 28, 2006
- Woosong University [64]
- Dong-A University [65]
- Dongseo University [66]
- Honam University [67]
- Chungnam University [68]
- Confucius Institute in Seoul [69]
Sweden
Spain
Thailand
- Chiang Mai University [72]
- Kasetsart University [73]
- Confucius Institute at Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen University [74] (in Thai)
- Prince of Songkla University [75]
- Prince of Songkla University, Phuket Campus [76]
- Chulalongkorn University
- Burapha University
- Mae Fah Luang University
- Mahasarakham University
- Betong Municipality
- Bansomdejchaopraya Rajchabhat University
- Traimit Wittayalai High School
- Suan Dusit Rajchabhat University at Suphanburi
United Kingdom
- Cardiff University [77]
- London School of Economics [78]
- University of London [79]
- University of Manchester [80]
- University of Sheffield [81]
- University of Wales, Lampeter [82]
- The Confucius Institute for Scotland in the University of Edinburgh [83]
- University of Leeds [84]
- The Confucius Institute for Traditional Chinese Medicine in London South Bank University [85]
United States
- Arizona State University [86]
- Bryant University [87]
- Chicago Public Schools [88]
- China Institute (New York) [89]
- Cleveland State University[90]
- Community College of Denver [91]
- Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) [92]
- Miami University, Ohio [93]
- Michigan State University [94]
- New Mexico State University [95]
- North Carolina State University [96]
- Portland State University [97]
- Purdue University [98]
- Rutgers University [99]
- San Diego State University [100]
- San Francisco State University [101]
- Texas A&M University [102]
- Troy University [103]
- University of Akron [104]
- University of California, Los Angeles [105]
- University of Hawaii [106]
- University of Iowa [107]
- University of Kansas [108]
- University of Maryland [109]
- The University of Memphis
- University of Massachusetts [110]
- University of Minnesota [111]
- University of Nebraska–Lincoln [112]
- University of Oklahoma [113]
- University of Pittsburgh [114]
- University of Rhode Island [115]
- University of South Carolina [116]
- University of South Florida [117][118]
- University of Wisconsin-Platteville [119]
- University of Utah [120]
- Valparaiso University [121]
- Webster University [122]
On March 26, 2009, San Diego State University unveiled the Confucius Institute for southern California and Baja California. Zhou Wenzhong, the Chinese Ambassador to the U.S., and the Chairman of Xiamen University attended the unveiling ceremony at SDSU, .[10]
On January 31, 2008, Wayne State University opened its new Confucius Institute, becoming the second one in Michigan (the first is Michigan State's).[11][12]
A Confucius Institute has been announced for Kennesaw State University, the second in the state of Georgia. [13]
The first Confucius Institute in the state of Alabama will open at Troy University in the fall of 2008. A second Confucius Institute in Alabama is being planned for the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
Confucius Institute of the Year Award
In December 2007 at the Second Confucius Institute Conference in Beijing, 20 Confucius Institutes among 210 of which around the world were announced Confucius Institute of the Year 2007 The titles of 20 awarded Confucius Institutes are as follow (listed according to alphabetical order of the host countries).
- Confucius Institute at the University of Western Australia, Australia
- Confucius Institute at British Columbia Institute of Technology, Canada
- Confucius Institute at Poiters University,France
- Confucius Institute at the Free University of Berlin,Germany
- Confucius Institute at the Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary
- Confucius Institute on the UCD campus, Ireland
- Confucius Institute at the University of Rome , Italy
- Confucius Institute at Ritsumeikan,Japan
- Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi, Kenya
- Confucius Institute at Chungnam National University, Korea
- Confucius Institute at the University of Auckland, New Zealand
- Confucius Institute at National University of Modern Languages, Islamic Republic of Pakistan
- Nordic Confucius Institute in Stockholm University,Sweden
- Confucius Institute at Khon Kaen University, Thailand
- Confucius Institute at the University of Edinburgh, UK
- Confucius Institute in Chicago,USA
- Confucius Institute at China Institute,NY, USA
- Confucius Institute at the University of Kansas, USA
- Confucius institute at Michigan State University, USA
- Confucius Institute in Tashkent,Uzbekistan
References
- ^ [http.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-08/28/content_5016167.htm Article "State Councilor Tang meets Serbian deputy PM" at Xinhua Online]
- ^ http://www.confuciusinstitute.net/ky_en/ky_info.html
- ^ Article "'China threat' fear countered by culture" at People's Daily
- ^ http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-12/06/content_7212089.htm
- ^ http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-10/02/content_5521722.htm
- ^ "Confucius deal close despite concerns", The Australian, August 22, 2007.
- ^ Riksdagens snabbprotokoll 2007/08:46 (in Swedish)
- ^ "CSIS say: Confucius part of Chinese bid to win over western hearts", The Chronicle, May 27th 2007.
- ^ Nurhayati, Desi (2007-09-28). "China to establish language, cultural center". Jakarta Post. Retrieved 2007-09-28.
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(help) - ^ George Bao, "[1]" March 2009: 1
- ^ Carol Cain, "WSU to open Chinese center Jan. 31" Sunday Free Press (Detroit) January 13, 2008: 6G
- ^ Staff, "Grand Opening January 31" The Analect: The Confucius Institute at Wayne State University 1 1 May (2008): 1
- ^ [2] KSU selected as site for Confucius Institute
See also
- Alliance française
- British Council
- Goethe-Institut
- Instituto Cervantes
- Instituto Camões
- Instituto Caro y Cuervo
- Società Dante Alighieri
- Japan Foundation