Confucius Institute of Valparaiso University


Opening Ceremony of the Confucius Institute at Valparaiso University
Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Click here or on the photo to view images from the Opening Ceremony
Photo provided by Cat Hoffman, VU MALS Student

Confucius Institutes in the United States
Confucius Institutes are non-profit public institutes with the goal of promoting a friendly relationship with other countries and enhancing the understanding of the Chinese language and culture among world Chinese learners as well as providing good learning conditions for them. The Institutes are modeled after Confucius, a famous thinker, educator and philosopher from Chinese history, whose influential ideas that have permeated Chinese society. To name the institutes after him demonstrates the longevity and depth of Chinese language and culture, and the institutes embody the development trend of integrating Chinese language and culture into global society in the 21 st century.

China’s Office of Chinese Language Council International is the governing organization for the Confucius Institutes. Preference is given to institutes located in business districts where there is a large flow of people and a convenient transportation system. Institutes are provided with teaching patterns and curriculum products as the main teaching resources to assist them in their mission.

All Confucius Institutes have a Chinese university partner to assist with Institute organization and oversight. Valparaiso University’s partner is Zhejiang University of Technology (ZJUT), a public institution with approximately 35,000 students. ZJUT, the top university in the Zhejiang province, was founded in 1910 as a technological school, became a college in 1953 and eventually a comprehensive technical university in 1993. Located in the urban city of Hangzhou, ZJUT hosts a variety of engineering programs and colleges including medical science, humanities, foreign language, art and law. With the newly-established Confucius Institute, Valparaiso University continues its two decade-strong exchange relationship with ZJUT, with a Hangzhou study center and the opportunity for students and faculty to visit partner institutions.

 


Planned Activities of the Confucius Institute of Valparaiso University
The Institute will facilitate exchange—cultural, business, educational, arts, and government—between NW Indiana and Zhejiang province (and the city of Hangzhou). The Institute will also partner with the CI in Chicago to sponsor joint programs within the greater Chicago area.

Off campus , the Confucius Institute will:

  1. Work with local school districts to offer Chinese classes in regional elementary, middle, and high schools and, more importantly, and to develop a Chinese teaching curriculum and staff, with some teachers coming from China.
  2. Collaborate with the Chicago Confucius Institute to take advantage of the different affiliations and perspectives each CI brings (university academic vs. Chicago Public Schools) to their communities (e.g., an event sponsored by CI in Chicago may be co-sponsored by CI Valparaiso University for a second performance in NW Indiana; or the two CI’s could jointly sponsor trips to China, etc.).
  3. Offer courses on “survival” level Chinese language to professionals and travelers.
  4. Give workshops for the community on Chinese policies and culture for various interest groups, including parents, business professionals (e.g., doing business in China), local government officials, etc.
  5. Host speakers from the Chinese consulate and/or experts on Chinese culture and business to campus for presentations and ceremonies.
  6. Build a Chinese collection within our library as a resource to both the campus community and the community at large.
  7. Offer classes and organizing events around the Chinese traditions and arts, including calligraphy, Chinese painting, Chinese landscaping courses, film, music, cultural exhibitions, traditional Chinese medicine, guest speakers, etc.
  8. Sponsor various US groups to visit China, especially those not currently associated with VU such as medical professionals, small business owners, farmers, and retirees.
  9. Help establish various school-to-school exchanges between Porter County schools and Zhejiang province schools.
  10. Identify long-distance (online) teaching and learning opportunities that will benefit audiences in both the US and China.

 

On campus , the Institute will raise awareness and increase participation in Chinese related initiatives, including:

  1. Preparing students for teaching English and English-language internships in China.
  2. Preparing education majors for teaching Chinese in K-12 schools in the US.
  3. Strengthening credit and non-credit courses related to Chinese language, culture, business, economy, and politics.
  4. Subsidizing study tours of China for scholars/students interested in undertaking graduate coursework in Chinese Studies.
  5. Bringing artists and scholars to VU for study and performance.
  6. Sponsoring competitive sports events between the VU Crusaders and teams in Zhejiang province.


Chinese Studies Degree and Non-Degree Programs/Opportunities
To learn more about our Chinese Studies Degree and Non-Degree Programs/Opportunities, visit the following websites:

  1. Master of Arts in Chinese Studies
  2. Master of Arts in Chinese Studies-Specialized track for K-12 Teachers
  3. JD (Law) / Master of Arts in Chinese Studies
  4. Summer Advanced Chinese Program