Hanban provides a $150,000 USD grant for the establishment of the Confucius Institute at University of Canterbury

Project narrative

On October 10, 2009, the Confucius Institute Headquarters (Hanban) and the University of Canterbury signed an agreement to establish the Confucius Institute at University of Canterbury. As part of the agreement, Hanban is obligated to provide 3,000 volumes of teaching materials, a $150,000 USD start-up fund, and numbers of Chinese instructors. In addition, Hanban is obligated to provide and finance a Deputy Director hired from the Chinese partner institution and annual funding based on the institute's needs. The funds are dispersed through a local Bank of China account or other approved bank account created by the institute. The agreement has a 5-year validity and automatically renews at the end of every 5-year term. The institute is also supported by Huazhong university of Science and Technology, the Chinese partner institution, which provides staff, academic materials, collaborative opportunities, etc. to the institute. On July 1, 2019, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed to reestablish the partnership. On November 1, 2009, the Confucius Institute at University of Canterbury was officially opened with an inauguration ceremony, becoming the second Confucius Institute in New Zealand. During the ceremony, the institute was awarded its license by Vice Premier Li Keqiang. On May 27th, 2010, the institute opened for operations. As of 2019, the institute has expanded Chinese language teaching to more than 11,000 students in 100 primary and middle schools in the South Island of New Zealand. As part of the Confucius Institute, the University of Canterbury has established Confucius Institute Resource Centres in higher education centers around the region. On March 21, 2012, a Confucius Institute Resource Centre was opened at the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology. On November 7, 2013, another one was opened at Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology. Then on October 9, 2013, a resource centre was opened at the Southern Institute of Technology with a $10,000 USD donation in materials from the Confucius Institute. On September 30, 2014, one was opened at Aoraki Polytechnic Campus, with the institute providing a donation of more than 500 books, films, and cultural items. Overall, these resource centres are created using Confucius Institute funds and are run as a part of the Confucius Institute. The Confucius Institute at University of Canterbury oversaw the following 8 Confucius Classrooms: - ID#91854: Columba College - ID#91855: St Margaret's College - ID#91856: Christchurch Boy's High School - ID#91857: Unlimited Paenga Tawhiti School - ID#91851: Lincoln High School - ID#91852: Otago Girls' High School - ID#91853: South Otago High School - ID#91858: St Kevin's College