Brief introduction
The Confucius Institute at United Arab Emirates Zayed University (hereinafter referred to as the Confucius Institute) obtained NOCFL’s approval on July 4th, 2010 and started running on August 24th, 2010 in cooperation with Beijing Foreign Studies University. Hu Zhiping, Deputy Director of the NOCFL and Sheikha Nahayan, Minister of UAE Higher Education and Scientific Research Department inaugurated the Confucius Institute on March 7th, 2012.
The faculty here includes1 Chinese Director and 6 Chinese teachers now. Books of all sorts amount to nearly 1,500.
Chinese language teaching and examination
Four years after the establishment of Confucius Institute, the number of the students increased from over 50 in 2010 to 410 in 2011 and 549 in 2012 to 753 in 2013. In 2014, the number of the students reached 746.
At present, our teaching works mainly develop in five campuses: Zayed University Abu Dhabi Campus (non-credit optional course), Zayed University Dubai Campus (non-credit optional course), Confucius Institute’s cooperative partner Brighton College Abu Dhabi (regular optional course),Brighton College Al Ain (regular optional course) and Petroleum Institute Abu Dhabi (credit optional course). We are also negotiating cooperation with a middle and primary school. If it works, the number of the students in Confucius Institute would be over 1,000. Brighton College Abu Dhabi will formally enroll students in September, 2016 and there will be more students studying in Confucius Institute by then. In addition, to support the Chinese teaching and cultural activities of other Chinese and colleges in UAE, we have built up bonds of cooperation with one language center and four individuals in forms of providing teaching reference books and HSK service to them.
Reference books includeExperience Chinese—Life,Experience Chinese—CultureandPrimary Chinese Readingfor undergraduates andMy First Chinese Reader,Easy Steps to Chinese, Chinese Made Easyand other supplementary materials for primary and junior students.
Confucius Institute has organized HSK for six times since its establishment. However, there are not so many test takers as a result of late start of Chinese language teaching.
Cultural activities
Since the establishment, the number of the activities and lectures held by Confucius Institute has been on rise annually. There were 19 times in 2011, 27 times in 2012, 28 times in 2013 and 31 times in 2014. Moreover, Confucius Institute has helped Chinese embassy in UAE, Zayed University and associations of overseas Chinese receive abroad missions and visitors from Chinese colleges and other institutions. Confucius Institute’s activities have been reported many times by domestic and foreign media.
Feature: focus on high-end teaching
In February 2013, Zayed University and Foreign Ministry Prince Fund Office of the United Arab Emirates enrolled 20 top students willing to learn Chinese from six universities directly under the government of the United Arab Emirates. These students formed two classes, respectively studied in Abu Dhabi and Dubai campuses. In 2014, another 17 top students were recruited and in 2015 another 20 will be enrolled. During the summer vacation of 2013 and 2014, these students went to China to visit and practice. In the spring of 2014, some students worked and practiced in Zhejiang province in China for more than two months doing jobs related with their majors. The United Arab Emirates government aims to cultivate the future diplomats who understand Chinese and Chinese culture and future leaders who would deal with Chinese affairs in different fields. Great importance is attached to the program by the government and Foreign Ministry of the United Arab Emirates, Chinese embassy in UAE, Zayed University and Confucius Institute. Chinese ambassador personally invited them to visit the embassy and the political counselor went to Abu Dhabi campus to give a lecture to those students. Every year, Chinese embassy in UAE would invite these students to the National Day reception. Confucius Institute also provides them with opportunities to join in associations of overseas Chinese and to attend forums and activities related with Sino-Arabic relationship.
Future development scenarios
1) To meet the needs of the students of Zayed University and Prince Fund Class, which is the most crucial part of the task of being rooted in and serving the local.
2) Try to make Chinese language course the credit course of Zayed University and the Prince Fund Class.
3) Continue to open Chinese language and Chinese culture courses in cooperation with Brighton College.
4) Perform well in Chinese language and Chinese culture courses offered in Petroleum Institute so as to have a good beginning.
5) Try to cooperate successfully with a local middle and primary school and find another one or two schools later.
6) As far as our teacher resources allow, we will offer some special courses, such as dancing, cooking and Taiji.
Above all, there are more and more local people who want to learn Chinese and Chinese culture. Our principle is to cultivate local and high-level talents for the United Arab Emirates base on Zayed University and to meet the needs of the society and other colleges.
Address: Confucius Institute at Zayed University, Khalifa City, B, Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box: 144534, UAE
Contact: Local Director Rahman Haleem, Chinese Director Gu Weiping
Email: Weiping.Gu@zu.ac.ae (Chinese director)
Tel: 00971-50-2863528
Fax: not available yet
（Asof December 31st, 2014）
