Deputy Director-General of Hanban Ma Jianfei Visits Confucius Institute at Philadelphia University in Jordan

On Apr. 21st, Ma Jianfei, Deputy Chief Executive of the Confucius Institute Headquarters and Deputy Director-General of Hanban, along with three other team members visited the Confucius Institute at Philadelphia University in Jordan (PUJ) and carried out supervision work.

The supervisory team had a meeting with Dr. Marwan Kamal, Philadelphia University Trustee and Vice-Chairman of Jordanian-Chinese Friendship Society. Dr. Mutaz Sheikh Salem, President of PUJ, Dr. Mohammad Awwad, Vice President of PUJ, Dr. Ibrahim Badran, Advisor to President of PUJ and former Minister of Education, Dr. Salma Al-Hassan, Member of PUJ Academic Committee and Director of the University’s Language Centre and others were present. Both parties had in-depth exchanges on China-Jordan friendship and cooperation, and detailed exchanges on the current development and future planning of the Confucius Institute at PUJ.

Exchanges at the meeting

Dr. Marwan Kamal said the Confucius Institute played a positive role in promoting an open academic atmosphere and diversity on campus culture at PUJ. He also stressed that the university will continue to address the importance of development of the Confucius Institute as well as its further work.

Ma Jianfei appreciated PUJ’s long-standing efforts in promoting China-Jordan cultural exchanges and cooperation and supporting the building of the Confucius Institute. He said the Confucius Institute Headquarters would focus on supporting PUJ’s application for the first undergraduate program of Chinese Language and Literature.

Later, the supervisory team paid a field visit to the teaching area allocated for the PUJ undergraduate program of Chinese Language and Literature as well as the venue planned for the setup of the Chinese language laboratory. The team also gave specific directions on how to make better use of all kinds of facilities for Chinese language teaching and cultural experience to carry out the institute’s work.

The supervisory team visiting Chinese language classroom of the Confucius Institute at PUJ

During the visit, the team arrived at the Amman campus of PUJ and conducted a survey on the Confucius Institute’s teaching facilities, teachers, and textbooks for Chinese language. The team also inquired the Chinese teachers in detail about their working conditions, expectations towards the work at the institute, and their difficulties and needs both regarding work and life, giving credit for all their hard work and dedication.

Chinese and Jordanian Director of the Confucius Institute at PUJ reporting to the supervisory team

The supervisory team talking with teachers of the Confucius Institute at PUJ

The supervisory team acknowledged the Confucius Institute’s achievements, and made recommendations and requirements with regards to the problems in the development. The team encouraged the institute to pay attention to the teaching quality and build a high-quality teaching team, so as to train more outstanding Chinese language talents. The team also encouraged the Confucius Institute to arouse the students’ intrinsic motivation through cultural activities, and pay attention to taking advantage of all channels to promote Chinese language teaching and cultural activities, so as to make contributions to the China-Jordan friendship under the framework of the “Belt and Road” initiative.