About the Institute
The Confucius Institute at the University of Vienna was established in September 2006 through a partnership between Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) and the University of Vienna. It is Austria’s first Confucius Institute and has grown into a well-established center for Chinese language instruction and cultural engagement, with a particular focus on music, literature and philosophy as cultural pillars. The Institute serves as a primary gateway for Austrians to explore Chinese language and culture.
Located in the Austrian capital, the Institute is staffed by a team of 17, including local instructors, and enrolls approximately 600 students per year.
Programs and Activities
Chinese Language Teaching & Examinations
The Institute offers a comprehensive range of Chinese language courses for university students, school-age learners, working professionals, and government and corporate personnel. The curriculum spans levels A1.1 through C2.4 and includes conversation classes, children’s Chinese, intensive beginner courses, HSK exam preparation, and tailored corporate programs. Courses are delivered across four teaching sites in three cities. In the 2025 academic year, total enrollment reached 863 students.
Proficiency examinations are administered on a regular basis, including the HSK, HSKK, YCT, and BCT. In 2025, a total of 162 candidates sat examinations at the Institute. Beyond standard HSK sessions, the Institute also supports the University of Vienna Language Center in delivering Chinese proficiency tests for entry-level selection processes conducted by the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA) and the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKO).
Faculty Development & Academic Research
The Institute runs regular professional development programs for local Chinese language teachers, including pre-service orientation, in-service training, and pedagogical workshops. As part of BFSU’s overseas internship site program, it provides support for teachers’ long-term professional growth.
Cultural Programs
As one of 12 designated Cultural Pilot Confucius Institutes worldwide, the Confucius Institute at the University of Vienna hosts more than 60 cultural events annually, drawing over 10,000 participants. Recurring programs include participation in Best³—Austria’s major vocational and educational fair—and the Vienna International Book Fair, as well as Chinese New Year receptions, philosophy forums, the “Chinese Bridge” competition, and a varied calendar of concerts and performances.
The Institute maintains active partnerships with the Mozart Residence Museum Vienna, Austrian public broadcaster OKTO TV, the Austrian Music Theatre Prize, TU Wien, the UN Women’s Guild Vienna, the European Chinese newspaper Nouvelles d’ Europe, the World Peace Choral Festival and several secondary schools across Vienna and Salzburg, supporting both cultural exchange and the integration of Chinese language study into the Austrian secondary curriculum.
Signature Initiatives
Chinese Cultural Skills Courses Alongside its language curriculum, the Institute offers hands-on courses in traditional Chinese arts. Current courses include classical instrument instruction—guzheng (Chinese zither), pipa (lute), and hulusi (gourd flute)—as well as weiqi (the board game Go) and calligraphy.
“China–Austria Living Room” Television Program Produced jointly with China Media Group and Austrian broadcaster OKTO TV, this flagship co-production airs six episodes per year in primetime, each approximately 30 minutes in length. The program explores themes of Chinese and Austrian culture, society, history, and landscape, and regularly features events from the Institute itself. Now in its ongoing run, the series has established itself as a meaningful vehicle for mutual understanding between Chinese and Austrian audiences.
Looking Ahead
The Institute will continue to build on its strengths in language education and cultural programming, developing new flagship initiatives that deepen engagement between Austria and China across both domains.
Contact
Austrian Director: Padraig Lysaght
Chinese Director: YAO Xiaozhou
Email: konfuzius-institut@univie.ac.at
Website: www.konfuzius-institut.at
Phone: +43 1 4277 24150
Address: Konfuzius-Institut an der Universität Wien, Universitätscampus Alserstraße 4, Hof 1, Eingang 1.3, A-1090 Wien, Austria
