Events

Confucius institute volunteer at the "One Belt One Road" Conference hosted by the ACBC NT Branch -10-12 July 2018

The Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Australia HE Mr CHENG Jingye visited the Charles Darwin University Confucius Institute -10 July 2018

Confucius Institute team gave performances at the CDU New Students Lunch - 09 July 2018

Confucius Institute participate Manunda Terrace Primary School Cultural Expo - 22 June 2018

Chinese Corner - New Four inventions of modern China - 15 June 2018

Confucius Institute leads the team to participate the Chinese Bridge Competition Regional Final for Secondary School students at the Confucius Institute of UWA -15 June 2018

http://www.confuciusinstitute.uwa.edu.au/learn-chinese/chinese-bridge

http://www.hanban.edu.cn/article/2018-06/19/content_736774.htm

Chinese Culture Experiencing Program at CDU Confucius Institute for students from Darwin Middle School - 28 May 2018

The 12th Confucius Institute Board Meeting was held successfully at Anhui Normal University on 04 June 2018

Seabreeze Festival- 12 May 2018

Chinese Corner - Introduction of Chinese Food - 11 May 2018

The 11th “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Secondary School Students in ACT, NT, SA and WA                            

                               Confucius Institute at the University of Western Australia, June 14-15, 2018

                                        INFORMATION FOR SCHOOLS AND COMPETITORS 比赛信息

1. Introduction
The Chinese Bridge (Hanyu Qiao) Chinese Proficiency Competition provides an opportunity for students learning Chinese to demonstrate their Chinese proficiency, have a fun and rewarding experience and meet other students interested in Chinese. It motivates students to continue pursuing their language studies. The winners of the competition will be invited to compete in the international finals in China later in 2018.
THEME: LEARN CHINESE DOUBLE YOUR WORLD 学好中国话，朋友遍天下

2. Eligibility 报名资格
Contestants must:

• Be between 15-20 years old

• Be enrolled as high school students in ACT, NT, SA or WA

• Not be Chinese nationals

• Not have been born and raised in a Chinese speaking country

• Not be a native speaker of Chinese*

• Not be in the finals of previous Hanyu Qiao Chinese Proficiency Competition in China.

Eligibility to compete must be certified by the Chinese teacher of the contestant on the application form. *Contact the Confucius Institute in case of any uncertainty with regards to the definition of ‘native speaker’.

3. Nomination/registration of Contestants 选手报名
Contestant registration forms need to be received by the Confucius Institute at the University of Western Australia no later than Monday, 21 May 2018. Please email registration forms to the address at the end of this information sheet.

4. Subsidies and quotas 资助标准
Travel and accommodation subsidies will be provided to four contestants and one accompanying teacher from each of the following: ACT, Northern Territory, and South Australia. Subsidies will be up to a total of $800 per contestant/teacher from ACT and NT, $600 for those from SA. The subsidies will be paid after presentation of receipts for travel expenses that match or exceed the subsidy allowance.
Responsibility for selection of subsidised contestants from ACT, NT and SA will be delegated to the respective Chinese language teachers’ associations or Confucius Institute (CI) in the first instance. If states do not fill their quota of contestants these subsidies may be distributed to other states.
Eligible non-subsidised interstate competitors are also welcome to register. Please contact the Confucius Institute at UWA regarding this.

5. Competition Structure 比赛组成

• Prepare a speech 2-3 minutes in length in Chinese (there will be an additional 2 minutes for questions from the judges) – 50%

• Chinese cultural performance (3-5 minutes) – 25%

• Written test on knowledge of China (30 minutes) – 25% General knowledge questions in English and Chinese.

For the prepared speech, students can talk about any topic related to the theme using Chinese, in particular stories related to China or Chinese. PowerPoint slide shows are welcome, but language ability is the most important element considered by the judges in determining the final score.
For their cultural performance, students may choose any avenue to demonstrate their Chinese language skills and understanding of Chinese culture (e.g. Chinese comedy, role play, dubbing a film clip, songs, dance, folk arts, acrobatics, instrumental performance, calligraphy, painting, Kung Fu, etc.)
For the written test, examples from previous years can be accessed on our website: www.confuciusinstitute.uwa.edu.au/learn-chinese/chinese-bridge, or via http://bridge.chinese.cn/s09/
For the purposes of this competition each student acts as an individual competitor and not in representative teams.
The competition will start on Thursday afternoon (14 June) and end around lunchtime the next day (15 June). A detailed program will be available prior to the competition.

6. Prizes and Awards 奖项设置
Prizes will be awarded to the first, second and third placed contestants overall. Prizes will also be awarded to the winners of each category (speech, cultural performance, and China knowledge test).
The winners (number to be confirmed) will be invited to compete in the international final in October in China.

7. Venue 比赛场地
The competition will be held at Kurrajong Theatre, Claremont Campus of the University of Western Australia, 50 Goldsworthy Road, Claremont. This is about 3 km west of the UWA main campus and 9 km west of Perth’s Central Business District.

8. Accommodation near UWA 附近住宿
There are options available close to the UWA main campus. For more information please contact: - Trinity Residential College http://www.trinityonhampden.com.au (08) 9423 9423 - St Catherine’s College https://stcatherines.uwa.edu.au/ (08) 9442 0400 - University Hall UWA http://unihall.uwa.edu.au (08) 9273 3333

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT 联系方式
Ms Fiona Hu
08 6488 6888 fiona.hu@uwa.edu.au
Ms Carol Jin
08 6488 6871 carol.jin@uwa.edu.au

The Confucius Institute at the University of Western Australia
Postal address: (M712) 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley WA 6009
Physical Address: 50 Goldsworthy Road, Claremont, WA 6010

The 17th “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Australian University Students (WA, NT, ACT, SA)

                        To be held at the Confucius Institute at the University of Adelaide
                                                   Wednesday, 16 May 2018
1. Introduction
The Hanyu Qiao Chinese Proficiency Competition provides an opportunity for students learning Chinese to demonstrate their Chinese proficiency, have a fun and rewarding experience, meet other students interested in Chinese, and be motivated to continue pursuing their language studies.
The participants will have the opportunity to win great prizes including Chinese language scholarships and travel opportunities. The two top-prize winners will be invited to China in July and August to take part in the Hanyuqiao Grand Finals which will be filmed and broadcast in prime time to an audience of tens of millions.
This year’s theme: ONE WORLD, ONE FAMILY 天下一家

2. Eligibility
Contestants must:

• Be a currently enrolled student of an Australian tertiary institution in ACT, NT, SA, or WA.

• Be under 30 years of age at time of application.

• Be an Australian citizen with non-Chinese background.

• Be a genuine speaker of Chinese (Mandarin) as a second language*

*Contact the Confucius Institute in case of any uncertainty

3. Nomination/registration of Contestants
Contestant registration forms need to be received by the Confucius Institute at the University of Adelaide no later than Monday, April 23, 2018. Three entries per Western Australia, Northern Territory and ACT. Please email registration forms to the address at the end of this information sheet.

4. Competition Structure
   1. A written test in Chinese on your general knowledge of China (25 minutes);
   2. An unscripted speech “One World, One Family” (3 minutes) plus a short Q&A quiz; and
   3. A cultural performance relevant to Chinese culture e.g. singing in Chinese, Martial arts, Chinese folk dancing, Chinese poem recital, etc. (3-5 minutes)

5. Prizes and Awards
Each contestants receive participation certificate.
Prizes will be awarded to the first, second and third placed contestants overall. Prizes will also be awarded to the winners of each category.
The two top-prize winners will be invited to compete in the international finals in China in 2018.

6. Venue
The competition will be held at the North Terrace campus of the University of Adelaide. The University is centrally located and within walking distance of shopping and restaurant districts. http://www.adelaide.edu.au/campuses/northtce/

7. Accommodation in Adelaide
There are many options available close to the North Terrace campus.
For further information about accommodation in Adelaide, visit: http://www.southaustralia.com/Accommodation.aspx

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Ms Emily Lee
emily.lee@adelaide.edu.au
08 8313 4798

The Confucius Institute at the University of Adelaide
Level 4 Wills Building
The University of Adelaide SA 5005

Confucius Institute achieves language milestone - 22 April 2018

By Andrew Hall

A CDU student and two high school students are the first in the Northern Territory to sit the Chinese Government-authorised language examinations administered by CDU's Confucius Institute (CI).

The Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) test centre was launched at CI by Hanban, the headquarters of Confucius Institutes, in September 2017 to better serve Chinese language learners and is an international standardised exam that tests and rates Chinese language proficiency.

It assesses non-native Chinese speakers’ abilities in using the language, and the characters, in their daily, academic and professional lives, and comprises six levels; those who pass at Level 3 and above can gain access to Chinese Government scholarships to study in China.

“Administering the first HSK tests is a special moment for us,” Institute co-director Associate Professor Hua Wang said. “The centre was established by the Chinese Government to provide an even standard of competency in Mandarin, and having one on our Casuarina campus means that school and university students of Chinese language will now have access to the examination system.”

The first students to take the HSK exam in Darwin were CDU student Ethan Dilettoso, and Darwin High School students Zi Qi Nina Jia and Andrew Ping Lu.

Prior to launching the test centre, students wishing to sit HSK exams would have to travel to Adelaide.

Chinese culture blooms at Buddhist Society International Food Fair - 22 April 2018

Confucius Institute Team visited the Darwin Language Centre - 17 April 2018

Chinese Corner - Chinese Folk Art - 13 April 2018

Director Professor Martin Jarvis and Chinese Director Associate Professor Hua Wang attended the Oceania Confucius Institute Joint Conference at Victoria University in Melbourne -19-20 March 2018

Chinese Corner - Celebrate the Lantern Festival - 02 March 2018

Confucius Institute hold presentation "Doing Business and Investing in China" at ACBC NT branch- 22 February 2018

Chinese New Year Celebrations at Darwin CBD - 21 & 24 February 2018

Chinese New Year Celebrations at Woodroffe Primary School - 16 February 2018

The Chinese New Year Reception & the first Confucius Institute Alumni Gathering- 12 February 2018

Chinese Corner - Chinese New Year - 09 February 2018

Chinese Corner - Chinese Poetry - 10 November 2017

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Mr. Andrew Everett, and Chinese Director of CI, Associate Professor Hua Wang, Were Invited to Share Experience at the Annual Joint Conference of Oceanian Confucius Institutes

Mr. Andrew Everett, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of CDU, and Associate Professor Hua Wang, Chinese Director of CI at CDU, were invited to share Confucius Institute operation experience at the annual Joint Conference of Oceanian Confucius Institutes, held at CI Auckland on 27th October 2017. Also invited were the representatives from Hanban/ Confucius Institute Headquarters and directors from other 17 Confucius Institutes in Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji.

At the conference, Andrew Everett presided over the discussion of the first topic: how Confucius Institutes better integrate into universities and hold board meetings.

Hua Wang delivered the speech titled as Based on Northern Australia, Rooting in Campus, Tripartite Cooperation produces a Beautiful Desert bloom of Chinese Culture——Reflections on the Experience of Integrating the Confucius Institute at Charles Darwin University into Partner Universities.

The topic and the speech drew great attention and received many positive feedbacks from the delegates from other CIs, and ushered in a series of speeches delivered by other CI directors about the operation of the CI they are working for. These speeches covered wide topics, such as roles of traditional and new media in promoting the brand image and visibility of CI, methods to integrate into the local communities, the forging of CI with business characteristics, and so forth.

As part of the programme, Mr. Andrew Everett and associate professor Hua Wang, together with other delegates, were invited to visit four local schools, Westlake Boys' High School, St Peter's College, Meadowbank School and Newmarket Primary School, three of them are Confucius Classrooms.

The First Seminar on Chinese Language Teaching in Northern Territory was successfully held at the Confucius Institute at Charles Darwin University

On 14 Oct. 2017, as an instant response to the 2017 Education Leader’s Forum held on 13 Oct. 2017, the first Seminar on Chinese language teaching was successfully held at the Confucius Institute at Charles Darwin University, to explore the effective and efficient acquisition strategy of Chinese as a second language.

At the seminar, based on the understanding of Northern Territory Education Outlook 2025, Australian experts in Chinese language teaching and the educators from China had a meaningful exchange on their ideas of education and proper methods of Chinese language teaching in Northern Territory. On the teaching design, approach and procedure of a specific text, language educators expressed their own opinions. Ms Marnie Foster, a leader responsible for the teaching of Chinese language in Northern Territory, said “teaching designs should be student-centred and are supposed to be timely adjusted according to the learning conditions of students at each class. To be more effective, a communicative approach should be taken to the content, which should be a small highlighted piece, rather than an unfocused mass to be crammed.” This was echoed by teachers at the seminar. Amy Yu, a Chinese language teacher from Charles Darwin University said that not too much stress should be laid on the tone of Chinese, but due attention should be given to the effectiveness of applying pictures to the teaching of Chinese characters since basically they are hieroglyphic. Dr. Zhi Gao, an associate professor from Hainan University, said “based on my personal teaching experience at Larrakeyah Primary School, students are very lovely and are keen learners of Chinese, and they are good at learning through games, teachers should employ various creative games to daily language teaching.”  These kindled people’s interest in games for daily teaching. Volunteers from the Confucius institute shared their teaching PPT, which were well appreciated by the educators from local schools in Darwin city.

                     by Mr. Pingzhi Ming, Chinese Lecturer of the Confucius Institute

Chinese Corner - Chinese Shadow Opera - 13 October 2017

Confucius Institute Visited Kakadu National Park to Celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival - 04 October 2017

Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival with the Chinese students union at Charles Darwin University - 30 September 2017

2017 "Confucius Institute Day" Celebration - 30 September 2017

Confucius Institute jointly held China Business Networking Event with Australia China Business Council - 29 September 2017

Confucius Institute welcomes delegations from Darwin Taminmin College - 29 September 2017

CDU delegation visited the Confucius Institute Headquarters (Hanban) on 21 September 207

Confucius Institute successfully held the 8th Board Meeting at Hainan University, China - 19-20 September 2017

Chinese Test Centre Officially Opened by the Minister for Education Ms Eva Lawler - 13 September 2017

Chinese Corner - Chinese Characters - 08 September 2017

Nanjing University Chinese Traditional Orchestra Australia Tour Gave Performance at Woodroffe Primary School on 28 August 2017

Chinese Culture Experiencing Program at CDU Confucius Institute for student leaders from Larrakeyah Primary School, Darwin Middle and Darwin High School on 25 August 2017

CDU Open Day - 20 August 2017

Introduction to HSK (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi) 汉语水平考试

The HSK test was launched by Hanban in an effort to better serve Chinese language learners. The test is the result of coordinated efforts by experts from different disciplines including Chinese language teaching, linguistics, psychology and educational measurement. The new exam combines the advantages of the original HSK while taking into consideration recent trends in Chinese language training by conducting surveys and making use of the latest findings in international language testing.

I. Test Structure

The new HSK is an international standardized exam that tests and rates Chinese language proficiency. It assesses non-native Chinese speakers’ abilities in using the Chinese language in their daily, academic and professional lives. The new HSK consists of a writing test and a speaking test, which are independent of each other. There are six levels of writing tests, namely the HSK (level I), HSK (level II), HSK (level III), HSK (level IV), HSK (level V), and HSK (level VI). There are three levels of speaking tests, namely the HSK (beginner level), HSK (intermediate level), and HSK (advanced level). During the speaking test, test takers’ speeches will be recorded.

II. Test Levels

The different levels of the new HSK are similar to some of the levels in the Chinese Language Proficiency Scales for Speakers of Other Languages (CLPS) and the Common European Framework of Reference (CEF); details are as follows:

Test takers who are able to pass the HSK (Level I) can understand and use very simple Chinese phrases, meet basic needs for communication and possess the ability to further their Chinese language studies.

Test takers who are able to pass the HSK (Level II) have an excellent grasp of basic Chinese and can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters.

Test takers who are able to pass the HSK (Level III) can communicate in Chinese at a basic level in their daily, academic and professional lives. They can manage most communication in Chinese when travelling in China.

Test takers who are able to pass the HSK (Level IV) can converse in Chinese on a wide range of topics and are able to communicate fluently with native Chinese speakers.

Test takers who are able to pass the HSK (Level V) can read Chinese newspapers and magazines, enjoy Chinese films and plays, and give a full-length speech in Chinese.

Test takers who are able to pass the HSK (Level VI) can easily comprehend written and spoken information in Chinese and can effectively express themselves in Chinese, both orally and on paper.

III. Test Principles

The new HSK follows the principle of “test-teaching correlation”, bases the design of the test on the current trends in international Chinese language training, and is closely related to textbooks. The purpose of the test is to “promote training through testing” and “promote learning through testing”.

The new HSK emphasizes the objectivity and accuracy of the evaluation and stresses the learners’ actual Chinese language abilities.

The new HSK sets clear test objectives to allow the test takers to be able to improve their Chinese language abilities in a systematic and efficient way.

IV. Testing Purposes

The new HSK retains the former HSK’s orientation as a general (or universal) Chinese language abilities test for adult learners. The results of the test can serve several purposes:

1. A reference for an educational institution’s decision-making concerning recruiting students, assigning students to different classes, allowing students to skip certain courses and giving students’ academic credits.

2. A reference for employers’ decision-making concerning the recruitment, training and promotion of test takers.

3. A method for Chinese language learners to assess and improve their proficiency in Chinese.

4. A method for Chinese language training institutions to evaluate training results.

5. A necessary item to apply for the Confucius Institute Scholarship to study in China.

V. Results Certificate

Test takers will receive the results on website: www.chinesetest.cn, issued by Hanban within four weeks after the test.

New Year brings new Confucius Institute Co-Director

By Leanne Miles

The new Chinese Co-Director of Charles Darwin University's Confucius Institute has arrived from Hainan University, bringing well wishes for the Year of the Monkey.

Mr Wang Hua will work with CDU Confucius Institute Co-Director Professor Martin Jarvis to head the institute, which is a partnership between CDU and the Anhui Normal and Hainan universities in China that is designed to build cultural ties within the community.

Named after the Chinese educator and philosopher, the institute was opened in 2012, with a focus on teaching Chinese language and culture through innovative new media and creative arts technologies.

Mr Wang arrived this month with his family from Haikou in Hainan Province to take up residence for three years in Darwin, replacing former Chinese Co-Director Mr Donghe Liu, from Anhui Normal University.

He said he was excited to join the institute in Darwin and hoped to provide further opportunities for the NT community to learn about Chinese language and culture, and promote academic and cross-cultural exchanges for CDU staff and students with Chinese partner universities.

“The world is getting smaller; it is easier to travel and people want to learn and experience different cultures,” Mr Wang said. “The aim of the Confucius Institute is to enhance friendship and understanding within our universities and communities by offering opportunities to engage and share through cultural exchange.”

He said the institute would hold a range of programs and cultural activities throughout the year including Chinese traditional art, music, film, language programs and Tai Chi to engage with the community.

Mr Wang said he also hoped to engage the business community by offering courses in Chinese language and culture.

“We hope to talk to local companies to find out what their requirements are, so we can provide them with more training opportunities and services,” he said.

Mr Wang also said he hoped to establish a Confucius Institute Alumni Association and invited all alumni or anyone interested in the Confucius Institute to become involved in the range of programs on offer throughout the year.

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Chinese Corner 2017