Hanban Delegation Visits Confucius Institute at University of Dubai

On Apr. 21st local time, Xia Jianhui, Deputy Chief Executive of the Confucius Institute Headquarters and Deputy Director-General of Hanban, along with three other team members visited and inspected the Confucius Institute at the University of Dubai.

The supervisory team exchanged in-depth views with Dr. Eesa Mohammed Bastaki, President of the University of Dubai and Director of the Confucius Institute, and Dr. Geoffrey Gachino, Provost of Academic Office respectively on the topics including the United Arab Emirates (UAE)’s education development, management ideas as well as development goals of first-class universities, and Dubai’s future development.

Dr. Bastaki introduced the development and future plan of the university and spoke highly of the institute’s activities last year. Dr. Gachino shared his experience and perspectives on the 2016 Training Workshop for Foreign Confucius Institute Directors and the 11th Confucius Institute Conference. Xia Jianhui noted that the university could fully explore its international merits and conduct broad academic discussions and exchanges, so as to facilitate the UAE and the world to understand the “Belt and Road” initiative and put forward implementation plans suitable to their own development.

Xia Jianhui inspecting the Confucius Institute

Xia Jianhui listening to the work report

The team visited the new campus of the University of Dubai, and inspected its teaching facilities, private classrooms and office areas of the Confucius Institute. The team examined work files of the institute and debriefed its work report on the general situation of the institute, Chinese language teaching, cultural events, the institute’s participation in the headquarters’ activities, and future plan of the Confucius Institute. Liu Yanhui, Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute, reviewed and commented on the gains and losses of Chinese language teaching and cultural promotion in Dubai and the UAE, and then proposed suggestions on the future development of the institute.

Fully acknowledging the institute’s achievements, Xia Jianhui also appreciated the Confucius Institute in providing a full, solid and data-detailed report. He pointed out that in recent years the UAE has been adjusting their policies to deepening the exchanges and communication with China. The “Look East” policy of UAE is highly compatible with the “Belt and Road” initiative. The Confucius Institute should be better at finding, creating and taking the opportunities and do the job steadily but surely. Xia Jianhui emphasized that the institute should take full advantage of all favorable conditions, carry out more practical researches, and provide targeted plans according to different requirements. Without imposition, the institute should explore the ways to implement the development planning of the Confucius Institute to open a new situation for Chinese teaching and cultural promotion in the UAE in an all-round way. The Confucius Institute Headquarters would give full support to the institute, hoping it could make play the role as a bridge of China’s culture exchanges with foreign countries and intensify communication between China and the UAE.

Then the team consulted with Chinese teachers and volunteers about their work and life, offering concrete advice on their working condition, expectation as well as difficulties and needs encountered in daily life.

The team discussed with Li Lingbing, Chinese Consul General in Dubai, on the current situation of popularizing Chinese language teaching in Dubai and the development of the Confucius Institute. Li Lingbing appreciated the complete support from the Confucius Institute to the consulate and the achievements in spreading Chinese language and culture as well as promoting the mutual understanding and communication between China and Dubai. Xia Jianhui thanked the Chinese Consulate General in Dubai for the great support and assistance it has given to the Confucius Institute’s development.

Xia Jianhui meeting with Chinese Consul General in Dubai

The team also visited American University of Sharjah and exchanged views with Dr. Chai Shaojin, a senior researcher in the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development of UAE as well as other foreign scholars on Sharjah’s ideas of rejuvenating the country through education as well as its influences over UAE’s development in the past two years, the UAE government’s positioning to Chinese language teaching in educational development, and the status of introducing Chinese language courses to 100 public elementary and middle schools. Based on the successful international cooperation with many countries, Xia Jianhui emphasized the Confucius Institute Headquarters’ support and assistance in the future development of the Confucius Institute at the University of Dubai, greatly benefiting all the attendees.