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I. The Logo
The Beijing Confucius Institute sets up organizations known as "Confucius Institutes" to teach and spread Chinese in foreign countries on the basis of demand and conditions so as to support Chinese language education around the world, provide convenient and high-quality study conditions for students of Chinese among the general public and increase understanding among other countries of the world about Chinese language and culture.
The Head Office of Confucius Institutes is located in Beijing, with branches located outside Chinese mainland referred to as the “Confucius Institute in XX” (XX means the city where the institute is located). The names of these branches in other languages are to be translated according to the English name.
II. Nature of the Organization
Confucius Institutes are non-profit public institutions whose basic responsibility is to spread Chinese and disseminate Chinese language and culture. When necessary, qualified Confucius Institutes can register as legal persons.
Confucius Institutes must abide by the laws and regulations of the country they are located in; accept oversight and inspection by local education authorities; and not participate in any political, religious or ethnic activities.
III. Form of the Institutes
A. Establishment
Confucius Institutes are established either by being funded entirely by the Head Office, by being funded jointly by the Head Office and the applicant or by being licensed by the Head Office.
1. Confucius Institutes are established mainly by direct investment from the Head Office in countries or cities where the Head Office believes there is a need.
2. In some countries or cities with the proper conditions, Confucius Institutes are set up as cooperative projects between the Head Office and the applicant.
3. The Head Office may grant the license to operate Confucius Institutes to qualified educational organizations that accept Confucius Institutes’ unified curriculum and management model.
B. Relationship between the Head Office and operators of Confucius Institutes abroad
The Head Office is responsible for overall planning, coordination and guidance and quality oversight for all Confucius Institutes around the world. These institutes are responsible for teaching and disseminating Chinese in accordance with the Confucius Institute Charter and the accord on cooperation, following a principle of “operation according to unified standards and character.”
The Head Office owns the intellectual property rights for the “Confucius Institute’s” name, logo, education model and “Great Wall Chinese” as well as all Chinese teaching materials, supplementary reading materials, audiovisual materials and online courses. All Confucius Institutes have the right to use them as authorized by the Head Office.
IV. Organizational Structure
Confucius Institutes operate under a president responsibility system under the leadership of an Executive Council.
A. Executive Council
1. Composition
The council consists of a chairperson and a number of vice chairpersons and other members. The chairperson and vice chairpersons are elected by the council.
The council may have a number of honorary chairpersons and vice chairpersons and consultants.
The number of people on the council is five or more and is determined by the size of the institute. Each council serves for a term of four years and the chairperson, vice chairpersons and other members of the council may serve consecutive terms.
2. Structure
There is a finance committee, education committee and development committee under the council. The finance committee is responsible for financial planning, auditing and approval of budgets and final accounts. The education committee is responsible for overseeing teaching work, carrying out teaching plans and implementing the standard teaching model. The development committee is responsible for formulating and inspecting development plans and opening up the local market for teaching Chinese.
3. Range of responsibilities
a. to draft and revise the institute’s Charter;
b. to examine and approve the institute’s work principles, building plan and long- and medium-term development plan;
c. to hire and fire the president, vice presidents and other key administrative personnel of the institute;
d. to regularly examine work reports and yearly budgets and final accounts of the institute and guide, provide information for and reviews its major issues;
e. to raise funds through various channels to ensure the normal development of the institute;
f. to regularly report to Confucius Institutes’ Head Office on implementation of the institute’s development plan and progress on major work; and
g. to decide whether to extend or terminate the accord on cooperation.
4. Operation
The Executive Council has a decision-making mechanism and policy oversight mechanism for major matters. The chairperson calls a full session of the council at least once every six months. The chairperson has the right to call ad hoc meetings of all council members as needed and ad hoc meetings may also be scheduled if one-third or more of the members so request.
When the Executive Council discusses important matters, decisions should be made with the agreement of two-thirds or more of the members.
B. President
1. Selection
Confucius Institutes operate under a president responsibility system under the leadership of an Executive Council. The president is nominated by the chairperson and voted on and appointed by the council.
The president must sign a contract for a term of service with the chairperson representing the council clearly specifying the objectives, tasks, term of service, range of authority, punishment and reward measures and performance criteria.
2. Range of responsibilities
a. to understand the local market for Chinese language learning and formulate the strategy and measures for spreading Chinese;
b. to preside over the formulation of the institute’s work plans and budgets and ensure that operating funds are used efficiently;
c. to recruit and dismiss teachers and management personnel and set up performance evaluation and reward mechanisms;
d. to organize the recruitment, teaching and testing of students and oversee implementation of the teaching plan to ensure the quality of instruction;
e. to set up and revise the system for training teachers and other employees;
f. to plan and organize Chinese language cultural exchange and promotion activities; and
g. to preside over various types of routine administrative and management work.
C. Vice presidents
An institute has one to three vice presidents, depending on its size and development of its operations. The vice presidents are responsible for teaching, personnel, finance and routine administrative and management work.
The vice presidents are nominated by the president and approved and appointed by the Executive Council.
The vice presidents work under the direct leadership of the president and are subject to the oversight of the Executive Council.
D. Organizational structure of Confucius Institutes
Each institute has an office, department of teaching, department of testing, department of public relations, department of human resources, department of e-language learning, department of finance, and library (audiovisual lab).
1. Office
The office is responsible for routine management work and ensures normal operation of the campus.
2. Department of teaching
This department is responsible for teaching Chinese, coaching for tests, formulating syllabuses, developing teaching materials and training teachers.
3. Department of testing
The department is responsible for organizing or coordinating HSK tests and tests to certify ability to teach Chinese as a foreign language.
4. Department of public relations
The responsibility of this department is to develop the market for Chinese language training, organize academic exchange activities and provide information on study in China.
5. Department of human resources
This department is responsible for recruiting, training and evaluating teachers, management personnel and teaching assistants and recommending Chinese teachers.
6. Department of e-language learning
The department is responsible for managing the “Great Wall Chinese” online Chinese language instruction and developing the institute’s website.
7. Department of finance
The department is responsible for compiling the budget and final accounts and for financial management work.
8. Library/audiovisual lab
The responsibility of this department is to import teaching materials from China and expand their distribution, manage various types of printed Chinese language materials and audiovisual materials and play film and video products made in China.
孔子学院组织结构图Organizational Chart of Confucius Institute
学院理事会Executive Council
名誉顾问Honorary Consultants
名誉理事长Honorary Chairpersons
理事长Chairperson
名誉副理事长Honorary Vice Chairpersons
院长President
教学委员会Education Committee
财务委员会Finance Committee
发展委员会Development Committee
政府官员Government Officials
知名学者Renowned Scholars
社会人士Prominent Members of Society
其他…Others
副 院 长（教 学）Vice President (Teaching)
副 院 长（人 事）Vice President (Personnel)
副 院 长（行政）Vice President (Administration)
副 院 长（…….）Vice President (Other)
人力资源部Department of Human Resources
公共关系部Department of Public Relations
院务办公室Office for Institute Affairs
教学部Department of Teaching
考试部Department of Testing
网络部Department of E-Language Learning
图书馆Library
V. Application to Open an Institute
A. Conditions for setting up an institute
Foreign parties applying to set up an institute should meet the following conditions:
1. accept Confucius Institutes’ operation model and teaching model and be able to accept the oversight, evaluation and certification by the Head Office once the institute is established.
2. have experience in language teaching and education and cultural exchanges;
3. be familiar with the current state of development of the Chinese teaching programs in the country or locality where the institute is located;
4. be a legal person; and
5. have a certain amount of financial strength and management ability.
B. Support from the Head Office
1. The Head Office supplies teaching model and teaching plans for courses.
2. The Head Office provides unified remodeling designs and supplies a unified logo and institute emblem used in institutes around the world.
3. The Head Office supplies “Great Wall Chinese” multimedia courseware and the right to use Chinese teaching materials, supplementary materials, audiovisual materials and online courses to be used as authorized by the Head Office.
4. The Head Office provides training on Confucius Institutes’ operation model and teaching model.
5. The Head Office supplies uniform image packaging and advertising plan.
6. The Head Office guides management of operations and development planning.
7. The Head Office supplies information on Chinese education in other countries to make it easy to keep up with developments around the world.
VI. Establishment Procedure
Flow Chart
Collect relevant materials and inquire about how to set up an institute
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Submit application materials related to preparations to establish an institute
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The Head Office examines the applicant's qualifications and conditions
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Applicant investigates the Beijing Head Office Sign the cooperative letter of intent
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Select a preparatory committee and department officials
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Site inspection Consideration and evaluation of sites Site selection
The above steps constitute the preparatory stage, and below is the formal establishment stage.
The two parties formally sign an accord on cooperation
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Registration of the institute Pay licensing fees and cash deposits (applicable to institutes operating under license from the Head Office)
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Development of hardware Pre-establishment announcements
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Establish an Executive Council
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Confirm the president and officials of each department
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Submit official establishment application documents
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The Head Office examines and approves application
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Official establishment of the institute
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Recruit teachers and other employees
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Train teachers and other employees
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Work begins in all areas
Applicants for the preparatory stage need to submit the following items:
Application form, accord on cooperation (draft), analysis of history, current state and future prospects for local Chinese education, and proof of the applicant’s conditions.
Applicants for the formal establishment stage need to submit the following items:
Accord on cooperation, institute Charter, list of main institute leaders, list of personnel for each department, and valid proof of investment document.
If it meets all conditions and criteria for establishing an institute, the applicant may directly apply to establish the institute.
Parties applying to establish institutes operating under license from the Head Office need to pay licensing fees and cash deposits to the Head Office.
VII. Scope of Operations
A. Teaching
1. Provide Chinese language training, developing a variety of courses in the various skills as needed.
2. Develop multimedia and online instruction mainly for “Great Wall Chinese.”
3. Hold coaching sessions for HSK tests.
4. Hold training classes for primary and high school Chinese language teachers and develop academic conferences and discussion sessions directed at university Chinese instructors.
5. Teach Chinese courses accepted for credit by Chinese universities.
B. Testing
1. Organize or help organize HSK tests.
2. Organize or help organize tests to certify ability to teach Chinese as a foreign language.
C. Related services
1. Advertise Chinese teaching materials.
2. Introduce and recommend Chinese teachers.
3. Assist in formulating plans, syllabuses or programs for teaching Chinese.
4. Develop academic activities.
5. Hold competitions of Chinese language ability.
6. Play films and television programs made in China.
7. Hold seminars on Chinese culture and related issues in China.
8. Provide information on going to China to study.
9. Provide literature research service.
10. Work with the Head Office to develop practical Chinese teaching materials suited to the locality.
VIII. Teaching Plan
A. Formulating the teaching plan and selecting what to teach
1. A teaching plan outline is formulated by the Head Office and supplied to all institutes for reference and use. An institute may revise the plan as needed to suit local conditions.
2. The institute may decide to use all courses, teaching materials, etc. or only a few of them, depending on its conditions, size of teaching staff and student supply.
B. Target students
1. Students should be foreigners including those of Chinese origin or overseas Chinese nationals who are not native Chinese speakers and have a desire to study Chinese and better understand Chinese culture.
2. Each institute may determine its target students based on what it offers.
C. Teaching principles and requirements
1. The general objective of the teaching is to improve the ability of students to use Chinese in conversation and professional situations, with the emphasis on practicality and meeting the actual needs of students.
2. A variety of teaching techniques may be used to reach the objectives, including most modern instructional means, to ensure maximum absorption of instruction.
3. Use of the mediating language should be kept to a minimum, restricting the language in the classroom to standard, modern putonghua. Teachers should speak slowly and simply enough for the students to understand.
4. Teachers should use the Chinese pinyin system as the standard for pronunciation and use only standard simplified characters. In areas where instruction was normally given using the older complex characters, appropriate teaching materials may be chosen; for example, texts may begin by using complex and simplified characters in tandem and gradually shift to using only simplified characters.
5. In teaching Chinese culture, teachers should introduce students to the finest aspects of culture in China; they should not impose them on their students.
D. Selecting teaching materials
1. All institutes must use the unified set of teaching materials supplied by the Head Office.
2. A teacher may select or compile supplementary teaching materials as needed to improve results of instruction.
E. Evaluation
1. A student’s progress should be evaluated at the end of a course of study and maybe in the form of a written, oral or combination test, depending on the requirements of the course.
2. Test questions are supplied by the Head Office in accordance with the type of course and the institute carries out actual evaluation.
3. Results of the evaluation constitute the main criterion for judging the quality of an institute’s instruction.
F. Certificates
1. The institute issues a certificate to students who pass the test. The form of the certificate and the certificate number are supplied by the Head Office. The institute actually makes the certificates and its president issues them.
2. The certificate should be printed in both Chinese and the official local language and include the student’s personal information such as name, gender and nationality, as well as the term of study, the subjects studied and the student’s grade or score.
3. Both the Head Office and the local institute should keep a record of the certificate on file.
IX. Management of Teaching
A. Hiring and training teachers
1. Each institute should have a certain proportion of native Chinese speakers as teachers.
2. Teachers should be hired who meet the requirements for teaching Chinese in terms of major studied in university, general knowledge, abilities, teaching experience and dedication to the profession.
3. The institute should provide periodical training for teachers to ensure the quality of instruction and improve the level of teachers.
B. Managing teaching management personnel and teachers
1. Both management personnel and teachers should sign an employment contract.
2. Management personnel and teachers should be familiar with all of the institute’s management regulations and conscientiously follow them.
3. Teachers should carry out teaching in accordance with the teaching plan, making suggestions for some changes as needed during the course of instruction.
4. Management personnel should regularly report to the Head Office on progress toward completion of the teaching plan.
5. The institute should take appropriate measures to store documents and other materials generated during the work of managing teaching and set up and maintain a computer database.
C. Managing students
1. All students must sign up and register to receive Chinese instruction or tutoring.
2. The institute should have a system for auditing a class for free, changing to a higher or lower level class mid-term and dropping out of a class.
3. The institute may offer discounts to repeat students and students signing up for classes as a group.
4. The institute allows students to borrow library materials and view films and television programs made in China free of charge.
5. Students should safeguard the institute’s reputation, public order in the institute and teaching facilities and materials and comply with relevant institute regulations.
D. Managing teaching resources
1. The Head Office supplies a unified set of teaching materials, library materials and audiovisual products and the institute may independently purchase materials or accept donations from organizations and individuals.
2. In order to raise the institute’s profile and make full use of library resources, the institute should open the library to the general public, setting up a membership system and providing lending services for its resources.
3. The institute should have a system for purchasing, managing and repairing equipment.
X. Financial Management
The institute must set up and work to improve financial and accounting systems in accordance with local laws and regulations, pay taxes in accordance with the law and regularly report to the institute’s Executive Council on expenses and final accounts.
A. Sources of funding
1. Investment from the Head Office
2. Investment from local party.
3. Sponsorship of Chinese and foreign mass organizations, commercial and industrial enterprises, foundations and similar organizations and individuals.
4. Legal earnings from the institute’s teaching, training, tutoring, testing, consulting and intermediary services.
B. Principles for use of funds
Funds should be used in conformity with relevant local financial laws and regulations and in conformity with the yearly budget passed by the institute’s Executive Council.
C. Expenditure items
1. Leasing, remodeling and property management fee of institute property
2. Salaries of teachers and management personnel plus medical care, insurance and other related expenses.
3. Purchase and repair of computers and software plus equipment for online teaching.
4. Purchase of Chinese language books, teaching materials, reference books, research materials and audiovisual materials.
5. Expenses for routine institute office supplies, necessary office equipment and teaching equipment.
6. Expenses for organizing tests.
7. Expenses for arranging Chinese language cultural exchanges and competitions.
8. Miscellaneous expenditures as approved by the Executive Council.
D. Expense management
1. Each institute keeps its own accounting books and is responsible for its economic performance.
2. The institute president assuming overall financial responsibility examines and approves expenditures.
3. The institute regularly reports to the Executive Council on the final accounts of how funds were spent and the budget for the next period, and it should receive auditing and oversight by the Head Office on a regular basis.
XI. Evaluation
A. General principles
Evaluation should be carried out on a regular or irregular basis to protect the brand name, safeguard the institute’s reputation, ensure the quality of teaching, continually improve management and ensure excellent performance of the institute.
The results of evaluation constitute a major criterion for judging teaching quality.
The Head Office formulates the standards for evaluation.
The institute arranges and carries out evaluation and sends a report of the results to the Head Office for the record. The Head Office randomly examines the evaluation work of each institute.
Each institute should set up an organ responsible for evaluation work.
Each institute can mete out rewards or punishments to employees based on results of evaluation.
B. Organization of evaluation
Each institute is responsible for actual evaluation work in accordance with the requirements of the Head Office.
C. Areas for evaluation
1. Evaluation of teaching
a. Implementation of the teaching plan.
b. Organization and delivery of instruction.
c. Teaching quality and results.
d. Miscellaneous.
2. Teacher evaluation
a. Teaching ability and attitude.
b. Content of instruction and teaching methods.
c. Teaching program.
d. Teaching language.
e. Miscellaneous.
3. Evaluation of operations and management performance
a. Current state of management and operations.
b. Development of overall strength.
c. Appreciation or depreciation of assets and performance of funds.
d. Financial management and oversight.
4. Inspection of language and cultural exchanges
a. Theme and number of participants.
b. Results.
c. Expenditures.
D. Evaluation program and implementation measures
1. Evaluation program
Confirm evaluation indices and point values, and quantify results according to grade.
2. Evaluation procedure:
a. Evaluation of teaching and teachers: based on self-evaluation and analysis of student evaluation forms, observations of the class monitoring team, surveys and visits to determine teaching quality, grades and attendance of students and overall evaluation of the institute.
Timing: Students fill out evaluation forms two weeks before the end of the class. Observations by the class monitoring team and surveys and visits to determine teaching quality can be carried out anytime while class is in session. Statistics for grades and attendance are determined after the class has ended.
Relevant requirements: All courses are evaluated for teaching quality and evaluation forms should be passed out by the office, filled out in class and then collected and handled by the office. The institute should maintain a file for results of evaluation of teachers’ teaching quality.
b. Evaluation of financial matters: Self-examination and inspection of the finance inspection team.
c. Evaluation of operations and management: Self-evaluation, teacher and student comments, survey seminars and overall evaluation of the institute. Evaluation should be carried out once a year. A special person can be designated to process comments and put on seminars while the institute is in session.
XII. Quality Certification
A. General principles
Evaluation work at all institutes must be strengthened and quality certification should be carried out in order to preserve their special operational character and guarantee their quality of instruction.
The Head Office arranges and carries out quality certification work. Every institute is subject to quality certification 1-2 years after its founding.
All institutes should take quality certification work seriously, set up an organ responsible for ensuring that the institute passes the evaluation and pay closer attention to oversight and inspection of teaching and management work.
B. Quality certification organ
The Head Office has a “Quality Certification Committee” to ensure that the evaluation work is fair and objective.
Composition of the committee: Executive vice president of the institute at the Head Office, officials of functional organs related to teaching and management, experts and scholars, members of society and business men and women.
The committee members, who are hired by the Head Office, must ensure that their work is fair and objective. Any member found to be acting unfairly will have his or her qualifications revoked and be subject to legal consequences in accordance with the employment contract if the case is serious enough.
C. CI (institute) certification grade
1. There are nine grades in the quality certification, from CI9001 to CI9009.
2. There are specific requirements for each grade in terms of key areas such as management level, economic performance, overall size, quality of instruction and impact on society.
3. After passing certification at a certain grade, the institute may be exempt from certification for a certain amount of time.
4. For institutes operating under license, CI9003 is the highest grade allowed. Joint venture institutes can only apply for CI9006 or lower and institutes wholly funded by the Head Office may apply for any grade up to CI9009.
5. During the time when an institute is exempt from certification evaluation, it must still submit yearly reports and other documents for the Head Office to check and file.
C. Certification procedure
1. The Head Office arranges for regularly scheduled quality certification work.
2. First each institute must submit an application for certification for the approval of the Head Office. If the Head Office approves, the institute must submit required documents and fee for certification.
3. The Head Office arranges for the “Quality Certification Committee” to evaluate and approve the documents submitted by all the institutes.
4. When necessary, the committee will make on-site inspections.
5. Based on the committee’s findings, it will recommend whether or not to pass the institute and to give it which grade. The president of the institute at the Head Office then makes the final determination and signs the certificates.
6. The Head Office issues grade certification documents to all institutes passing the evaluation and announces the results through relevant websites and media.
E. Documents required for certification
Every institute must apply to the Head Office for quality certification 1-2 years after its founding. Documentation required for application includes: Overall size of the institute, achievements, state of operations and management, teaching quality and character, yearly work summary and development prospects and plan.
F. Certification fee
1. Every time an institute applies for evaluation it must submit a certification fee, the amount of which is determined by the grade requested in the application.
2. The certification fees are used to pay the experts who carry out evaluation, checking and inspection work and for producing the certificates.
G. Efficacy of quality grade certificates and certification management
1. Passing the evaluation and receiving certification for a certain quality grade is an indicator of the overall scale and level of an institute’s development. The institute can include this certification in its advertising to help broaden recognition of the institute.
2. When an institute raises its grade, the advertising and licensing fees paid to the Head Office may be suitably reduced.
3. The Head Office has the right to revise the rules and regulations governing quality certification.
4. In the event an institute develops a major problem during the period when it is exempt from evaluation, the Head Office determines how to resolve the situation.
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