Our Partners

The University of Aberdeen is delighted to host a Confucius Institute in cooperation with the University of Wuhan, our partner University in China.

The Confucius Institute has a new support and governance structure composed of the recently established Chinese International Education Foundation and the Centre for Language Education and Cooperation. 

The Chinese International Education Foundation (CIEF) is a non-profit charitable organisation jointly initiated by 27 universities, enterprises and social groups which is dedicated to supporting Chinese international education projects worldwide, including Confucius Institutes. 

The Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC) is a non-profit professional educational institution for international Chinese language education, affiliated with the Chinese Ministry of Education.

Its main functions are developing National Chinese Language Proficiency standards across the world and hosting certification tests; supporting the provision of teaching resources; operating international Chinese language education programmes such as the "Chinese Bridge" series and China Studies Programme; and organising relevant activities of international exchanges and cooperation.

Wuhan University (WHU) is a comprehensive and key national university in China. Its history can be traced back to Ziqiang Institute, which was founded in 1893 by Zhang Zhidong, the governor of Hubei Province and Hunan Province in the late Qing Dynasty.

In the process of development and evolution, the institute changed its name several times before it was finally named Wuhan National University in 1928. It is one of the earliest comprehensive national universities in modern China. By the end of 1946, the university had established 6 colleges - the colleges of liberal arts, law, sciences, engineering, agriculture and medicine.

In 2000, an amalgamation of the former Wuhan University, Wuhan University of Hydraulic and Electric Engineering, Wuhan Technical University of Surveying and Mapping, and Hubei Medical University was announced, which ushered in a new era in its 100-odd years of development.

Since its establishment, Wuhan University has cultivated more than 300,000 professional talents in various occupations, among whom there are over 100 members of the Chinese Academy of Science and the Chinese Academy of Engineering. They have made great contributions to the national construction and social advancement. The remarkable achievements of Wuhan University have won it an extensive international reputation.

Wuhan University is fast becoming a world-class comprehensive research university domestically and internationally.

To find out more about Wuhan University take a look at their website.

Wuhan University campus

Membership of the group is open to anyone, both within and outwith the university, with an interest in China. Attendance at meetings is free. Membership fees (£10, payable to the Treasurer) help to support the group's activities and entitle members to vote at annual meetings.

For more information and to keep up to date with the activities of the University of Aberdeen Chinese Studies Group.