About the Institute
The Confucius Institute Munich was established on February 17, 2009, and formally designated as a Confucius Institute in September 2012. It is a joint initiative of Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) and Stiftung Ex Oriente, dedicated to Chinese language education and Sino-German cultural exchange. In 2015, it became one of the first Confucius Institutes designated as a Cultural Pilot Institute, and was simultaneously recognized as an Outstanding Confucius Institute.
The Institute offers a comprehensive range of Chinese language courses covering HSK Levels 1 through 6, alongside a robust portfolio of cultural programs—including a monthly Culture Salon, Film Club, language exchange sessions, and the annual Munich Chinese Film Festival. In recent years, the Institute has also developed an extensive suite of online cultural programming. To date, cumulative enrollment in Chinese language courses has exceeded 10,000, and cultural program audiences have reached nearly 180,000.
Programs and Activities
Chinese Language Teaching & Examinations
The Institute offers a full-spectrum Chinese language curriculum comprising 27 courses, including:
· Adult Chinese: beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels
· Children’s Chinese: beginner and intermediate levels
· Intensive Chinese courses: beginner and intermediate levels
· Chinese grammar workshops
· Introductory taster courses
· One-on-one instruction
The Institute’s consistent teaching quality attracts learners from across Germany, maintaining stable enrollment year on year. HSK examinations are held on a regular basis; in 2025, the number of candidates sitting Chinese proficiency tests increased by 29% year-on-year. In recognition of its examination management, the Institute received the HSK Outstanding Examination Center award in 2025—its third such honor, following previous awards in 2022 and 2024.
Faculty Development & Academic Research
The Institute holds annual professional development workshops for its own teaching staff and Chinese language teachers in the greater Munich area. Training topics focus on current trends in international Chinese language education and locally adapted pedagogy, and have included sessions on Chinese character instruction and innovation, digital teaching methodologies, and learner-centered instructional strategies.
Cultural Programs
In 2025, the Institute organized 98 cultural events, reaching over 7,300 participants. Its flagship programs include:
Munich Chinese Film Festival—The Institute’s annual signature event, now in its thirteenth year, ran from November 6 to 20, 2025. The festival screened 16 Chinese-language films spanning feature films, documentaries, and short films, complemented by karaoke nights, mahjong sessions, and tea ceremony experiences that offered audiences an immersive introduction to Chinese culture.
Culture Salon—Held monthly, each session features a specialist presenting an in-depth talk on a topic related to Chinese culture, society, or history. In 2025, eleven talks were organized, with speakers including Dr. Marc Nürnberger (Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich) on “The Sea in Buddhism,” Prof. Dr. Michael Lackner (University of Erlangen-Nuremberg) on “Divination and Prognostication in the Sinosphere,” Prof. Ralf Kauz (University of Bonn) on “Manichaeism’s Last Refuge on China’s Southeast Coast,” German authors Martina Berge and Silke Fette on “Why China, of All Places?,” and Prof. Philip Clart (University of Leipzig) on “Objects as Vessels of Meaning: How Museums Tell Stories of Belief.” Since the program’s launch, the Institute has organized 214 Culture Salon talks in total.
“Chinese Bridge” Study Tours to China—Suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, these exchanges resumed in 2024. In 2025, the Institute organized two trips: a spring tour for secondary school students (April 10–23) and a summer tour for university students (August 16–29). Nearly 60 German students and teachers traveled to Shanghai, Beijing, and Wuhan, combining immersive study with firsthand experience of China’s history and contemporary development.
“Spring Melodies” National Music Concert for International Chinese Language Day—Co-organized with the Central Conservatory of Music on April 26, 2025, the concert featured eight young musicians from the Conservatory performing fourteen works from the classical Chinese repertoire, showcasing music as a vital medium for cross-cultural dialogue.
Looking Ahead
The Institute will continue to build on its strengths in high-quality language teaching and cultural programming. Priorities include expanding digital and social media presence to broaden the reach of its cultural activities, enhancing HSK examination services and associated learning support, and deepening partnerships with local educational institutions, cultural organizations, and community groups. The Institute will further develop its role as a BFSU overseas internship site for international Chinese language education, sustaining its position as a durable bridge for Sino-German people-to-people exchange.
Contact
German Director: GAO Fangfang
Email: info@konfuzius-muenchen.de
Website: www.konfuzius-muenchen.de
Phone: +49 89 237 85 86 1
Address: Gleichmannstr. 10, Munich, Germany
