Confucius Institute at Khon Kaen University

Confucius Institute at Khon Kaen University is the first Confucius Institute

Confucius Institute

Confucius Institutes are non-profit public institutions that aim to promote Chinese language and culture, support local Chinese teaching internationally, as well as facilitating cultural exchanges. They are sometimes compared to language and culture promotion organizations such as France's...

in the northeast of Thailand

Thailand

Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...

, established on May 24, 2006 with the collaboration between Khon Kaen University

Khon Kaen University

Khon Kaen University is an internationally-recognized university in Asia. It is located in the Isan region of Thailand. The university is a central hub of education in north-east Thailand.-History:...

(KKU) and Southwest University

Southwest University

Southwest University is a key comprehensive university, subordinate to Ministry of Education of China, based in Chongqing, China.-The University:...

(SWU, 西南大学). In the second Confucius Institute Conference in Beijing in December 2007, Confucius Institute at Khon Kaen University was announced Confucius Institute of the Year 2007: an award given to 20 Confucius Institutes among 210 of which around the globe.

Introduction

Khon Kaen University

(KKU) foresaw the rapidly increasing demands for Chinese language

Chinese language

The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...

study of the people in the northeast of Thailand

Thailand

. With its aims to strengthen educational cooperation between China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

and Thailand

Thailand

, to support and promote the development of Chinese language education, and to increase mutual understanding between the people of China

China

and Thailand

Thailand

, together with the support from The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Thailand, the agreement was signed between KKU and Southwest University (SWU) for the cooperation for Confucius Institute in March 2006, and the agreement between KKU and The Office of Chinese Language Council International (Hanban) for the establishment of the Confucius Institute at KKU was signed on May 24, 2006. On August 3, 2006, Confucius Institute at Khon Kaen University held its opening ceremony and began its operation, which has become the first one who functions before other Confucius Institutes in Thailand

Thailand

.

The Confucius Institute at Khon Kaen University is a non-profit institute with the purpose of enhancing intercultural understanding between Thai

Thai people

The Thai people, or Siamese, are the main ethnic group of Thailand and are part of the larger Tai ethnolinguistic peoples found in Thailand and adjacent countries in Southeast Asia as well as southern China. Their language is the Thai language, which is classified as part of the Kradai family of...

and Chinese people

Chinese people

The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....

by sponsoring courses of Chinese language and culture. With the authorization and appointment from The Office of Chinese Language Council International (Hanban), Beijing

Beijing

Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...

, People’s Republic of China, KKU and Southwest University

Southwest University

Southwest University is a key comprehensive university, subordinate to Ministry of Education of China, based in Chongqing, China.-The University:...

(SWU) are committed to collaborate on the establishment of the Confucius Institute at KKU and to execute the Institute’s activities to achieve its goals.

Khon Kaen

Khon Kaen

Khon Kaen is a city in Isan, Thailand. It is also the capital of Khon Kaen province and the Khon Kaen district.-Geography and demography:Khon Kaen is located in the Khorat Plateau, in the central-northwestern area of Isaan...

is the hub for the northeast region of Thailand

Thailand

, which covers the largest land and population of the country. Due to its geographical location and the well developed transportation infrastructure, public utility systems, and technological development, Khon Kaen has become the center for the Mekong River sub-region. In addition, Khon Kaen

Khon Kaen

is the core for academic institutions and trainings of the region especially at high school and university level.

Khon Kaen University

Khon Kaen University

is the national leading educational and learning center for the northeast region of Thailand and is the oldest and largest university in the region, with the greatest number of students and programs. KKU has worked closely with more than 1,500 high schools in the region on teacher training programs. Furthermore, KKU has developed collaboration with neighboring countries, especially the countries of Indo-China. Therefore, the Confucius Institute at KKU will serve as a center for Chinese language teaching, training and cultural studies in the northeast region of Thailand

Thailand

as well as the Mekong River sub-region.

Activity

Phase 1 （Years 2006-2007）

Conducting training courses.
Developing training courses for Chinese teachers in schools (Certificate Program), and for students or people in the Khon Kaen
Khon Kaen
Khon Kaen is a city in Isan, Thailand. It is also the capital of Khon Kaen province and the Khon Kaen district.-Geography and demography:Khon Kaen is located in the Khorat Plateau, in the central-northwestern area of Isaan...

community.
Developing curriculum for the Bachelor Degree program in Chinese (collaborative program between KKU & SWU), a 4-year program.
Developing curriculum for the Master’s Degree program in Chinese (collaborative program between KKU & SWU), a 2-year program.
Organizing training courses open to the Northeast Region and neighboring countries.
Organizing exhibitions, performances and activities to promote Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

art and culture such as contest for Chinese knowledge, tea ceremony, classical music, karaoke contest, films/movies, gardening, Chinese ikebana, traditional costumes, Chinese cuisine, painting and calligraphy, Kung-fu, Chinese folk dancing.

Phase 2 (Years 2008-2009)

Offering the Master’s and Doctoral degree programs.
Organizing training courses for various target groups in Northeast Thailand and the neighboring countries.
Organizing tests for certifying competence in teaching Chinese as a foreign language.
Organizing the HSK
HSK
HSK may refer to:*The Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi , a standardized test of Mandarin Chinese*Horrendous Space Kablooie, a Calvin and Hobbes reference to the Big Bang, a figure skating club in Finland*Auxiliary cruiser or HSK, a German cruiser ship...

and developing other Chinese language tests for the locals.
Enhancing collaborative research on China and Chinese language among scholars in KKU and SWU.
Student exchange program, internship program in China for students.
Staff exchange program, KKU’s teaching staff development program.
Promoting and producing media on Chinese language and culture.
Providing consultation services to students who wish to study in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

.
Organizing seminars or conferences on Chinese language and culture.

Services

Providing consultation services to students who wish to study in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

.
Providing translation services from Thai to Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...

and vice versa.
Gallery of Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

paintings and calligraphy
Calligraphy
Calligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"...

.

Future Development

Confucius Institute at Khon Kaen University is determined to become the center for Chinese language

Chinese language

teaching, training, HSK

HSK

HSK may refer to:*The Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi , a standardized test of Mandarin Chinese*Horrendous Space Kablooie, a Calvin and Hobbes reference to the Big Bang, a figure skating club in Finland*Auxiliary cruiser or HSK, a German cruiser ship...

test, and Chinese

China

culture in the Mekong River sub-region including Laos

Laos

Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...

, Cambodia

Cambodia

Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...

, Vietnam

Vietnam

Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...

and Myanmar

Myanmar

Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....

Location and Contact Address

6th Floor, Building of the Faculty of Technology, Khon Kaen University

Khon Kaen University

123 Mithranpharp Road, Muang District, Khon Kaen

Khon Kaen

40002, Thailand

Thailand

External links

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