About the Institute
The Confucius Institute at Zayed University is a joint initiative of Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) and Zayed University. Approved in July 2010, the Institute began operations in August 2010 and was formally inaugurated in March 2012.
The Institute is headquartered at Zayed University’s Abu Dhabi campus, with additional teaching sites at the university’s Dubai campus and at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi. As of the end of 2025, cumulative enrollment has surpassed 10,000 students.
Programs and Activities
Chinese Language Teaching & Proficiency Tests
The Institute offers Chinese language instruction to a broad range of learners, including university students, K–12 students, members of the public, and government and corporate professionals. Course offerings span beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, alongside Business Chinese, HSK preparation, and Chinese culture courses.
A landmark development came in August 2024, when Chinese language courses were formally integrated into Zayed University’s credit-bearing curriculum at both undergraduate and graduate levels—marking the transition of Chinese from an elective interest course to a recognized academic subject.
The Institute regularly administers HSK, HSKK, and YCT examinations. To date, it has served more than 1,700 HSK/HSKK candidates and over 1,300 YCT candidates. In recognition of its examination services, the Institute received the 2023 HSK Outstanding Promotion Award from the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC).
Faculty Development & Academic Research
The Institute places strong emphasis on teacher development, offering regular training programs, in-service workshops, and pedagogical seminars for local Chinese language instructors. These sessions focus on teaching methodology, cross-cultural competency, and professional growth.
In the area of academic research, the Institute collaborates with UAE institutions including the United Arab Emirates University and Khalifa University, as well as Chinese partners such as Tsinghua University and Beijing Language and Culture University. Joint seminars and lectures support work in international Chinese language education, intercultural communication, and area studies.
Cultural Programs
The Institute organizes more than 30 cultural events annually; in 2025, these activities drew over 7,000 participants. Programming includes traditional festival celebrations, Chinese Culture Experience Days, intangible cultural heritage exhibitions, film screenings, cultural lectures, and Chinese-Arabic youth exchange activities. The annual “Chinese Bridge” competition is among the Institute’s flagship public events.
The Institute maintains sustained partnerships with UAE government bodies—including the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence, and the Scholarship Office of Presidential Court—as well as with local universities and Chinese enterprises operating in the UAE.
Signature Initiatives
Over more than a decade of operation, the Confucius Institute at Zayed University has developed a distinctive model centered on credit-bearing Chinese education at the tertiary level and multi-sector engagement.
“Chinese Bridge” Competition (2017–2025): The Institute has hosted the “Chinese Bridge” competition for nine consecutive years, covering university, secondary, and primary school categories. Participants range in age from 4 to 30, with cumulative participation reaching 2,623 contestants from more than 100 schools. The competition has generated 45 media reports and reached an audience of over 30,000, establishing it as one of the UAE’s most prominent Chinese-language competition brands.
Government and Industry Partnerships: The Institute has established long-term working relationships with major UAE and regional organizations, including the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), Khalifa Port, ACWA Power, PetroChina, and Bank of China. Services encompass language training, cultural programming, and professional development, creating a collaborative ecosystem spanning government, industry, and academia.
Curriculum Development: The Institute actively supports the development of credit-bearing Chinese language programs at two higher education institutions, and continues to expand course offerings in Business Chinese and Chinese culture and arts.
Looking Ahead
The Institute will continue to advance Chinese language education within the UAE’s higher education system, building a clear pathway from introductory courses through credit-bearing study to full degree-program integration. Expanding collaboration with universities in the region, government agencies, and enterprises remains a priority, with the goal of establishing the Institute as a leading center for Chinese language education and a key hub for Sino-Arab cultural exchange in the Gulf region.
Contact
UAE Director: Munir A. Majdalawieh
Chinese Director: ZHANG Cuicui
Email: ci@zu.ac.ae
Website: zu.ac.ae/confucius-institute
Phone: +971 50 286 3843
Address: Confucius Institute at Zayed University, Khalifa City B, Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 144534, UAE
