2018 Roundtable of Confucius Institute Headquarters Council Held in Beijing

From July 16th to 17th, the 2018 Roundtable of the Confucius Institute Headquarters Council was held in Beijing. Tian Xuejun, Vice Minister of Education and Executive Council Member of the Confucius Institute Headquarters, attended the roundtable and delivered a speech.

Tian Xuejun fully recognized the achievements of the Confucius Institute. He emphasized that President Xi Jinping pointed out that “Confucius Institute belongs to China and the world”. The Confucius Institute realized such remarkable achievements through its adaptation to and satisfaction of the urgent needs of people of all countries to learn Chinese and understand China. On the other hand, it has been operated under a cooperative mode of Chinese and foreign sides who jointly build up, manage, possess and share the benefits brought by the Confucius Institute. Adhering to the concept and principle of “mutual respect, friendly consultation, equality and mutual benefit”, the Confucius Institute is the fruit yield by sincere cooperation among and joint efforts by China and all countries.

Tian Xuejun pointed out that after 14 years of rapid development, the Confucius Institute has entered a crucial period which requires improvement of quality and efficiency as well as innovative development. From now on, the Confucius Institute should take the initiative to adapt to the new changes in the external environment, focus on its tasks, enhance teaching quality, strengthen localization, and boost its capacity. It should also constantly promote specialization, professionalization and localization of the teaching staff, reinforce the adaptability and pertinence of Chinese textbooks, learn from the local teaching methods, and catch up with the pace of technology development to build digital Confucius Institutes and provide better services for Chinese language learners of all countries.

Tian Xuejun hoped that Chinese and foreign council members sincerely unite as one, closely cooperate with each other and make joint efforts to push this promising cause forward and make new and greater contributions to building a community of shared future for mankind.

26 presidents (council members), honorary council members, senior consultants and specially-invited representatives from Chinese and foreign universities of eight countries including the US, New Zealand, Holland, Brazil, and Thailand attended the roundtable and had in-depth discussion on the opportunities and challenges, reform and development of the Confucius Institute and other topics. They also had extensive communication on the new situation of the development of the Confucius Institutes in the US.

The representatives all agreed that the fundamental reason why the Confucius Institute flourishes and is widely recognized by educators and students all over the world lies in its adherence to the running mode featuring extensive consultation, joint contribution and win-win cooperation between Chinese and foreign partner universities, its educational attributes focusing on spreading Chinese language and culture and its idea and vision of enhancing the mutual understanding of people all over the world.

The Confucius Institute, an educational institute voluntarily applied by a foreign university and jointly established by Chinese and foreign universities, is an integral part of the university. It is a basic management mode of the Confucius Institute to comply with the academic norms of the university, and incorporate its administration into the university system, which is widely recognized and accepted.

Chinese and foreign representatives agreed that the development of the Confucius Institute has entered a new stage of comprehensive upgrade. The Confucius Institute should further demonstrate its unique values and active contributions to all walks of life in China and foreign countries and encourage teachers, students, residents of the community and other beneficiaries to share their stories and experiences. The Chinese and foreign sides should make joint efforts to enhance the construction of the Confucius Institute, cultivate high-quality teaching staff, develop high-level textbooks, closely adapt to the local needs, integrate into the international development strategies of the universities, and make active contributions to universities and local talent cultivation as well as economic and social development.

Liu Limin, Council Member of the Confucius Institute Headquarters and President of China Education Association for International Exchange, and C. D. Mote, Jr., Council Member of the Confucius Institute Headquarters and Director of United States National Academy of Engineering, delivered concluding remarks at the roundtable.