The 2017 Pre-Job Training of Chinese Directors of Confucius Institutes in American and Oceanian Regions Comes to a Successful End in East China Normal University

On July 28th, the one-month pre-job training of Chinese directors of Confucius Institutes in American and Oceanian regions, held by Confucius Institute Headquarters (Hanban), came to a successful end in East China Normal University (ECNU). During this period, 46 directors-designate from 37 Chinese colleges and universities to serve Confucius Institutes in American and Oceanian regions and 9 full-time teachers as candidates of Chinese directors received special training in such fields as Confucius Institute management, Chinese traditional culture, and cross-culture communication.

A group photo of Chinese directors of Confucius Institutes in American and Oceanian regions in this training

The Confucius Institute Headquaters (Hanban) attached such great importance to this training that it particularly employed trainers nationwide to strengthen the expert team and held various pertinent lectures and seminars which are scientifically reasonable. Jing Wei, Deputy Chief Executive of the Confucius Institute Headquarters and Deputy Director-General of Hanban, pointed out at the opening ceremony that with China’s rapid development of social economy and more extensive involvement in global affairs, the worldwide “Chinese Craze” heated up, and Confucius Institutes played a more and more significant role in promoting peaceful cooperation, mutual learning as well as mutual benefit and win-win results between China and other countries.

She added that Chinese directors are one of the keys to successfully running Confucius Institute. She hoped that the directors-designate could, based on questions, overcome difficulties, stand up to challenges, enhance the sense of mission and endeavor to switch their roles, so as to lay a strong foundation for the following work.

The trainees listening carefully

This training highlighted contents with regional characteristics and pertinence, focused on case-study teaching and set online learning platforms. The courses covered such modules as professional ethics and personal cultivation, administrative ability, cross-cultural communication and collaboration ability, teaching management and cultural transmission ability, language communication and literal expression, vocational skills, and the headquarters’ project introduction.

In the training, every director shared his/her understanding about the work and significance of Confucius Institutes. Trainees told that through the training, they realized in a more comprehensive and profound way that Confucius Institutes not just shouldered the responsibility to promote Chinese language and culture, but also acted as the bridge promoting mutual learning between various civilizations and cementing friendship between peoples from China and other countries. The content of this training was rich enough for them to make full preparations to fulfill their duties. They had faith in doing well in their future posts and successfully accomplishing their mission.