On the 5 December 2018, a work conference for the Confucius Institute at Michigan State University (CI-MSU) was held in Chengdu. As the Chinese institution of CI-MSU, the Open University of China (OUC) hosted the meeting and summarised 2018 work, as well as discussing future innovative cooperation steps.
The conference was attended by personnel from both the Chinese institution and the US institution of the CI-MSU, namely, Liu Xianghong, vice secretary of the OUC Party Committee and Liu Zhanrong, deputy director of the OUC Faculty of International Languages and Cultures; Doctor Lynn Paine and Doctor Li Jiahang, director and deputy director of the US institution of CI-MSU.
Liu Xianghong indicated that the concept of “Innovation, Reformation, and Pragmatism” proposed at the Confucius Institute Conference 2018 could also be adopted as a guiding principle for the cooperation between the OUC and CI-MSU. In addition to sending Chinese instructors to teach in the US, both sides should explore a management mechanism, look for flexible cooperative patterns, expand potential cooperation projects, and put special emphasis on how to apply information technology and give full play to the IT advantages of both universities.
Liu Zhanrong said that, in the future, the cooperation will not be limited to developing Chinese instructors, but also include short-term or long-term training for OUC faculty and students by exerting the advantages of MSU College of Education.
During the meeting, both sides gave 2018 CI work reports. The US side will continue with its traditional premium project by cooperating with Michigan Virtual School to provide 10-level Chinese courses for 372 registered students from the levels of 1A to AP. To date, the project has provided Chinese training for more than 4,000 students. Meanwhile, it has offered online and offline training for Chinese instructors for more than 200 persons/times. In addition to regular cultural activities, the US institution has also held the CI Open Day, Chinese immersion programmes, workshops, and CI celebration activities. The OUC has provided course and software support for the CI, facilitated the construction of TCSOL degree programmes, and upgraded and optimised the MyEChinese platform. It has also continued to support the routine operating work of the CI, which includes providing training for domestic Chinese instructors, selecting and sending four instructors to teach in the US, organising HSK tests for nearly 300 persons/times, preparing for the CI council meeting, and jointly carrying out online cultural activities and course development. Both sides also paid special attention to the cooperation plan for 2019 and discussed related matters including the re-selection of the CI council.
Ms. Lynn Paine said that using the IT strengths of both universities is the perfect cooperative pattern to manage CI and that the two sides should explore new methods of cooperation based on their consolidated strength. The MSU College of Education is willing to carry out cooperation with the OUC in the areas of providing teacher training in both systematical and short-term ways.
By Li Yan, OUC