Grand Opening of the Confucius Institute at Pfeiffer University

Online, October 26, 2009 (Newswire.com) - Charlotte, NC - Pfeiffer University along with The Chinese Language Council International (also known as the Hanban) are opening another Confucius Institute (CI) in North Carolina. It will be located within Pfeiffer's Charlotte Campus.

The Hanban began Confucius Institutes throughout the world to promote the teaching of Chinese as a foreign language and to create different exchanges and co-operations in the educational and cultural fields. The services offered by Confucius Institute include: Chinese language teaching; training Chinese language instructors and providing Chinese language teaching resources; holding the HSK examination (Chinese Proficiency Test) and tests for the Certification of Chinese Language Teachers; providing information and consultative services concerning China's education, culture, and promoting the development of multi-culturalism. As of April 2009, 328 Confucius Institutes in 82 different countries and regions have been established.

In order to achieve this, CI establishes Chinese classrooms within elementary schools, provides continuing education courses, helps Chinese businesses seeking to move into the local market or US businesses seeking to move/export/import into/from China, and holds community wide events highlighting various aspects of Chinese arts, culture, history, and economics.