China’s Dalian University of Foreign Languages Hosts Joint Conference with Board of Directors from its 3 Partnership Confucius Institutes in Russia, Japan & South Korea

Novosibirsk, July 11th-12th-- China’s Dalian University of Foreign Languages (DLUFL) invited Russia’s Novosibirsk State Technical University, Japans Okayama Shoka University and the University of Incheon in South Korea to gather in Novosibirsk and host a Joint Conference for the Confucius Institute Board of Directors. Participants of the joint conference including Sun Yuhua, President of the BLUFL, Professor Nikolai V. Pustovoi, D. Sc., Rector of Novosibirsk State Technical University, Vice-RectorProfessor Evgeny B. Tsoi, D. Sc., members of board of directors of Confucius Institutes and Directors of Confucius Institutes. During the joint conference, extensive discussions took place with regards to Confucius Institutes’ questions and requirements for its financial status in 2010. Existing questions and solutions concerning the development of the 3 Confucius Institutes and how to guarantee the sustainable development of Confucius Institutes were also addressed.

Sun Yuhua, President of BLUFL chaired the conference and made an opening speech. She expressed her sincere appreciation of participants that had traveled great distances, she thanked everybody for their efforts, which have helped to forge the development of Confucius Institutes onwards and resulted in further achievements. It was the support of partnership universities that has provided the conditions and opportunities required for the sustainable development of Confucius Institutes. She hopes that Confucius Institutes and partnership schools take Confucius Institutes as platforms for further boosting cultural exchanges between China, Russia, Japan and South Korea, strengthening the cooperation among schools and contributing to the development of education, business and trade links between the four countries.

Professor Pustovoi, President of Novosibirsk State Technical University delivered a welcoming speech for the representatives of the partnership schools of the DLUFL that had come to Novosibirsk, he was glad to see them all gathered together to discuss the development of Confucius Institutes and exchange experience with one another under the coordination of DLUFL. He also expressed hopes that similar such conferences will be held in the future. Afterwards, Professor Evgeny B. Tsoi, Vice-Rector of Novosibirsk State Technical University explained the current state of affairs, future plans and goals of Confucius Institutes in Russia and put forward some new advice. Two representatives from Japanese and South Korean Confucius Institutes elaborated upon the question of and requirements for the Confucius Institutes’ annual budgets and final accounts and issued suggestions on Confucius Institutes’ future development.

Soon after, Directors of the Confucius Institutes in the three countries exchanged ideas on current issues as well as questions concerning the development of Confucius Institutes and solutions to problems posed.

Finally, delegates reached two resolutions:

First, a seminar on the teaching methods for teaching Chinese as a foreign language will be convened in May 2011 in the DLUFL;。

Second, the four parties will launch Chinese knowledge competitions, and Chinese song contests etc. involving the participation of the four Confucius Institutes.

Thanks to the strong support of the four Confucius Institutes, delegates agreed that the four parties will make full use of their own advantages so as to cultivate reserve forces for the sustainable development of Confucius Institutes and the promotion of Chinese language, build up a foundation for teachers and students of Confucius Institutes to experience Chinese culture, contribute to the promotion of economic and cultural exchanges between China, Russia, Japan and South Korea and pull together in developing the four Confucius Institutes so that they may become examples for all.