The globalization pace of Confucius Institutes
- By Li Jie
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E-mail China Today, June 20, 2017
Firm Steps Override Doubts
As dean of her Institute, public relations are integral to Wang's work. Although full of trepidations when she first arrived, after gradually finding her way Wang has won recognition and praise from local participants. "Their take on the actual situation is what really counts," she said.
When Confucius Institutes were first established, fears were sometimes voiced based on the so-called "China threat" theory. Over the past three years, Confucius Institutes at the University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, and Stockholm University have successively shut down. The international community has become a breeding ground for rumors and controversy about Confucius Institutes in this regard.
Wang wholeheartedly rebuts such rhetoric. In fact, the procedure for establishing a Confucius Institute requires a foreign university or relevant educational institution to first apply to the Confucius Institute headquarters. Upon receiving approval, the local and Chinese parties jointly run the institute. The Chinese dean is responsible for Confucius Institutes under their governing Council, and both Chinese and foreign deans are jointly in charge of the Institute's daily operations and management.
It is generally the foreign dean who raises demands, and the Chinese contingent that offers cooperation and support. Take academic activities as an example. The two parties jointly decide on activities and invite researchers specializing in topics relating to China or East Asia to present their views and hold academic debates. Teachers of Chinese language and culture classes – fundamental courses at Confucius Institutes – do their utmost to teach students the most effective learning methods, and to present a multidimensional image of Chinese society.
"The so-called ‘China threat' theory is a false proposition," Li said. Nobody takes it into consideration in their actual work. As teachers and volunteers assigned from China, Wang and Li must do their best to accomplish their teaching plan and at the same time hold various cultural activities. As they are apart from their families, they devote all their time to their work at the Institute, yet still feel there are not enough hours in the day. "These rumors themselves perhaps reflect the general misapprehensions about China," Li said.
"Confucius Institutes are a bridge to the Chinese language and culture, as well as providers of learning resources." Li believes that Institutes enact an irreplaceable role, because they offer face-to-face, experiential learning. Interaction between workers at Confucius Institutes and people in local communities evokes a tangible, touchable China.
After reading a newspaper article arbitrarily attacking Confucius Institutes, Wang's Finnish colleague showed it to her and angrily refuted its content. Wang just laughed it off, remarking that all we can do is to mind our own business, as people who understand us know what we have really done.
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