Chinese test centre open for business
A new Chinese language test centre has been launched at Charles Darwin University allowing students access to an examination system approved by the Chinese Government.
The centre, located at the Northern Territory’s Confucius Institute – a partnership between CDU and the Anhui Normal and Hainan universities in China, will provide examinations in Mandarin.
Confucius Institute Director Professor Martin Jarvis said the test centre would build on the strong relationships with teaching and learning institutions throughout China.
“The Confucius Institute was established in 2012 to build relationships between China and the Territory, and to promote an understanding of Chinese culture with a focus on teaching Chinese culture and language,” Professor Jarvis said.
“In 2013 in the first Chinese language class there were five students. The Confucius Institute is now responsible for teaching more than 1200 children and adults.”
Professor Jarvis said the establishment of a Chinese Test Centre (CTC) was one of the primary goals of the Confucius Institute when it was established.
“The centre was established by the Chinese Government to provide an even standard of competency in Mandarin,” he said. “CDU having a CTC means that school and university students of Chinese languages will now have access to the examination system.”
He said the CTC was one of 13 in Australia and would offer the Chinese Proficiency Test - HSK.
Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) was launched by Hanban, the headquarters of Confucius Institutes, in an effort 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 Chinese language in their daily, academic and professional lives and comprises six levels.
In addition to the HSK, there is YCT (for primary school children), BCT (for business people) and HSKK for those who want to learn conversational Chinese.
Professor Jarvis said people who passed level three of the HSK would be eligible for a Chinese Government scholarship to study in China.
The CDU Confucius Institute is located on Casuarina campus in Building Orange 2, Level 4.