Introduction

Since 2006, GDUFS has co-established seven Confucius Institutes/Classrooms overseas in Japan, Russia, Peru, Cape Verde, Egypt, Portugal and Australia, namely Confucius Institute at Sapporo University in Japan, Confucius Institute at Ural Federal University in Russia, Confucius Institute at Catholic University of Santa Maria in Peru, Confucius Institute at University of Cape Verde in Cape Verde, Confucius Institute at Ain Shams University in Egypt, Confucius Institute at the University of Porto in Portugal, and Sydney Jacaranda Confucius Classroom in Australia, which makes GDUFS the university with the largest number of Confucius Institute/Classroom in Guangdong Province and the first one to establish Confucius Institute/Classroom in the Province.

(1) Students' Number

During the five years since 2016, GDUFS' Confucius Institutes/Classrooms have carried out various International Chinese programs, enrolling more than 21,000 registered students. In 2021, the seven Confucius Institutes/Classroom registered 4255 students. Besides, more than 200 students of GDUFS' Confucius Institutes/Classrooms were awarded the Confucius Institute Prize since 2016.

In 2017 and 2020, thanks to the effort of the Confucius Institutes co-established by GDUFS and University of Cape Verde in Cape Verde, GDUFS and Ain Shams University in Egypt, Chinese has been incorporated into the national education systems of Cape Verde and Egypt, symbolizing a great step for the promotion of international Chinese education. Moreover, in November 2021, the Confucius Institute co-established by GDUFS and University of Cape Verde officially launched the undergraduate courses of Chinese language major, representing a milestone in international Chinese education in Cape Verde.

(2) Examinee Size

GDUFS' Confucius Institutes/Classrooms actively organized various Chinese proficiency tests like HSK, HSKK and YCT. In 2021, 1153 students of the seven Confucius Institutes/Classrooms of GDUFS took the tests, up 168.1% from the previous year.

(3) Teachers' Number

Since the establishment of Confucius Institute, GDUFS has dispatched more than 300 Chinese volunteers as well as 20 Chinese deans and Chinese teachers to the Confucius Institutes/Classrooms, providing powerful support for the promotion of international Chinese education.

(4) Cultural Activities

From 2016 to 2021, GDUFS' Confucius Institutes/Classrooms organized more than 1,000 cultural activities, attracting 10,000 audiences both online and offline. Besides, since 2020, GDUFS began to hold a series of activities. Lectures on South China Historical Trail, Chinese and Foreign Cultural Knowledge Competition, Spring Festival event "Pandemic Cannot Isolate Love, We Are Together" attracted not only students of GDUFS' Confucius Institutes/Classrooms, but also the local community where the Confucius Institutes/Classrooms are located.

(5) Awards

In December 2012, the Confucius Institute co-established by GDUFS and Sapporo University in Japan was awarded as "Advanced Confucius Institute" by Confucius Institute Headquarters. In December, 2018, the president of Catholic University of Santa Maria was awarded as "Advanced Individual of Confucius Institute" (he was also the Council President of the Confucius Institute co-established by GDUFS and Catholic University of Santa Maria in Peru). In December, 2019, the Confucius Institute co-established by GDUFS and the Ural Federal University in Russia was awarded as "Advanced Confucius Institute". In September, 2021, three foreign deans of GDUFS' Confucius Institutes were awarded the "Medal for Long Service as a Confucius Institute Dean".

(6) Regional Communication

In order to further integrate the education and teaching resources of the universities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong- Macao Greater Bay Area, and give full play to the important role of Confucius Institutes in the universities of the area in international Chinese education, the Confucius Institute Hosting Universities Alliance in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area was established on November 5, 2021. As its initiating university, GDUFS cooperated with eight other member universities in this area, namely Hong Kong Polytechnic University, University of Macau, Sun Yat-sen University, South China University of Technology, Jinan University, South China Normal University, Guangzhou University, Lingnan Normal University in promoting the development of Confucius Institutes/Classrooms of this area.

In December, 2021, as one of the founding member universities, GDUFS joined the China-Africa Chinese International Education Alliance. At the opening ceremony of the alliance, the Confucius Institute co-established by GDUFS and University of Cape Verde signed a cooperative agreement with Cape Verde-China Friendship Association.