Assn. of Chinese Students & Scholars

Contact Us

 Confucius Institute at PSU
 Portland State University
 P.O. Box 751
 Portland, OR  97207-0751
 503-725-8571

About CI at PSU

 

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Portland State University and the Office of International Affairs have signed in January 2007 an agreement with the China National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (Hanban) to establish a Confucius Institute in Portland. An official opening ceremony was held in May 2007. Portland State’s Confucius Institute is to promote educational exchange and cooperation between the US and the PRC. It has the status of a non-degree granting entity and receives library materials grant and resources from Hanban for hosting a visiting faculty member from Soochow University in Suzhou (PSU’s sister school in southwestern China), along with support for community outreach and development of non-degree China area studies and language programs. Short-term courses in cultural awareness and Chinese language for business and travel are expected to be available as early as Fall 2007, and training programs for primary and secondary teachers in the greater Portland area are expected to be available in the summer 2008 or earlier.

The following educational resources and services are provided by the CI:

• Events and outreach in cooperation with other civic organizations.
• Organization of activities related to Chinese language, culture, history, politics, economics, sociology, philosophy and allied areas of scholarship and interest in the form of:
  • Guest speakers
  • Lecture series
  • Presentations
  • Seminars
  • Courses/classes
  • Public events

The following outreach services are provided by the CI:

• Short-term training programs for primary and secondary teachers that will be planned jointly and be integrated with local schools, colleges and universities:
  • Advice and support for local Chinese language and area studies teachers
  • Making available Chinese language teaching materials for teachers and students of Chinese in the great Portland region
• Development of Chinese studies and Chinese language programs at PSU:
  • Short-term courses and seminars for travel, business, tourism
  • All levels of non-credit classes
    • For children
    • For adults in general public
    • For local business people
    • For employees and expatriates of local multinational corporations
  • Hosting Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) Chinese Language Proficiency Test when authorized by Hanban
  • In conjunction with PSU’s Education Office, in the Office of International Affairs, developing and promoting curricula for study abroad programs in China