September 26, 2012 – The Confucius Institute (CI) at Texas A&M University has 47 participants enrolled in their non-credit conversational Mandarin Chinese courses for the fall semester
College Station, Texas – September 26, 2012 – The Confucius Institute (CI) at Texas A&M University has 47 participants enrolled in their non-credit conversational Mandarin Chinese courses for the fall semester. The classes have a unique composition of students, faculty and staff in addition to members of the Bryan/College Station community studying at three different levels: beginner I, II and intermediate. The CI first began the “Conversational Chinese Classes” in the fall of 2009 with only one teacher and one class. Since 2009, the CI has had nearly 300 participants in the class and now offers four classes each semester with hopes of continuing to expand class offerings.
Mr. Hongfeng Deng and Dr. Gang Meng, both visiting professors from Ocean University of China, teach the classes offered by the Institute. Participants learn conversational Chinese, reading and writing skills, and basic Chinese cultural issues.
One of the chief goals for the Confucius Institute at Texas A&M University since its inception has been to strengthen Chinese language programs both at the university and in the community at large. As the United States becomes an increasingly global economy in which student exchange, business, and research collaboration with China continue to grow, the need for Chinese language instruction is also on the rise. Many of the class participants indicated in interest in learning Chinese for “business purposes” or to “prepare for an upcoming trip to China” in addition to those who had general interest or curiosity about the language and culture of China.
The CI is an educational outreach effort of Texas A&M University and through activities such as the conversational Chinese classes, hopes to better prepare students, community members and staff for a global future.