Confucius Institute at Rutgers University Offers Spring Courses

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. – Members of the community can explore Chinese language and culture through the Confucius Institute’s spring courses. The courses, “Chinese Level I: A,”  “Conversational Chinese I” and “Doing Business in China,” will be offered for eight weeks beginning Tuesday, Feb. 2. 

Those interested in registering may do so through the Rutgers Continuing Education website by searching the course names. Registrations will be accepted until the first class meets. Tuition is $240 per course.    

The classes, which are open to the public, will be held on the College Avenue Campus on weekday evenings. No prior experience with Chinese is necessary. A certificate of completion will be available to students at the end of the course. 

The class schedule and small class size are designed especially for working people interested in learning about Chinese language and culture. The classes provide a unique opportunity for those who might not otherwise be able to study Chinese in a university setting. 

“Learning the language provides a different way of learning about the culture,” said Holly Chen Tyson, senior program administrator for the Confucius Institute.      

Those interested in practicing Chinese language skills may also attend the institute’s Chinese Corner, which will be held Tuesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Scott Hall beginning Feb. 2.  The free program allows people to practice Chinese with professors, instructors and native speakers.

“Doing Business in China”  will be taught by Yun Fang Qi, a former Rutgers University professor of Chinese who now runs a corporation that does business in China. The course, taught in English, will cover such topics as Chinese business culture and practices, as well as China’s trade history and its relationship to the world economy.  

The Chinese language courses will be taught by Dongmei Li, a visiting instructor from Jilin University, China. 

The Confucius Institute at Rutgers University (CIRU) began operation in May 2008 in partnership with Jilin University in China to enhance and expand the university’s programs in Chinese language, literature and culture for students and New Jersey residents.  The first Confucius Institute was established in 2004 in Seoul, South Korea, as a way to promote the teaching and research of Chinese language and culture outside of China. As of December 2008, there were 249 Confucius Institutes in 78 countries sponsored by the Office of Chinese Language Council International.

For more information about the Confucius Institute at Rutgers or the courses being offered, visit the CIRU website, e-mail ciru@rci.rutgers.edu or call 732-932-2651 or 732-932-7900.

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