Chinese Bridge

The "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition is a large-scale international contest sponsored by Hanban, and is well-known in the cultural and educational exchanges worldwide. It consists of 3 events: "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students, "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign High School Students and "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign Students in China. The competition is held yearly, organized and carried out by the Organizing Committee.

In recent years, the "Chinese Bridge" Competition is carried out by Hanban in cooperation with local governments, and presented to the public through TV broadcast, which has achieved good effects. So far, the "Chinese Bridge" Competition for College Students has been held 8 times, and attracted 705 college students from over 60 countries participating in the semi-finals and finals in China. The "Chinese Bridge" for High School Students has been held twice. Nearly 200 secondary school students from over 20 countries were invited to China to share their achievements and happiness during their Chinese learning. The "Chinese Bridge" for Foreign Students in China, co-hosted by Hanban and CCTV's Overseas Program Center, has been held twice, which attracted about 200 foreign students from over 40 countries in China to compete with each other. The total number of participants for preliminary rounds of the three contests has exceeded 800,000.

The "Chinese Bridge" Competition aims to arouse the enthusiasm of students in various countries in learning Chinese and strengthen the world's understanding of Chinese language and culture. At present, the competition has become an important platform for college students of various countries to learn Chinese language and learn about China. It builds a communication bridge between young people of China and other countries. Just as the words of Liu Siwen, first place winner of the 8th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students, "The 'Chinese Bridge' brings us a kind of luck. I will keep the luck and the friends in my heart. We will get together again, because our future will surely links with China. "

“Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students Program
Program Introduction

The “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students Program is a large-scale international competition organized by Confucius Institute Headquarters(Hanban). Since its launch in 2002, this annual event has been held 11 times and attracted more than 1,000 college students from over 80 countries to participate in the semi-finals and finals in China. In addition, there are more than 300,000 students all over the world involved in the preliminary rounds. This competition is now an important platform for international college students to learn the Chinese language and understand more about China. It also serves to help young people in the world better communicate with one another. The contents of the competition include Chinese language proficiency, knowledge about China, Chinese cultural talents and comprehensive learning abilities. Students who win the preliminary rounds held in their countries qualify to come to China for the semi-finals and finals. They will also get scholarships to further their studies in China as rewards.

Competition Procedure

1. Participants

College students with foreign nationalities, aged between 18 and 30 and overseas-born, whose first language is not Chinese.

2. Participation Process

(1) Preliminary Rounds

The educational or cultural offices of Chinese Embassies (Consulates) or Confucius Institutes organize the overseas preliminary competitions, select and recommend contestants to attend the semi-finals held in China. Each contest region can also recommend one outstanding contestant to come to China to view the competition.

(2) Semi-finals and Final Round

In each July, the semi-final round selects the players for the final round through testing their Chinese language proficiency, knowledge about China, Chinese cultural talents, etc. The final round results in the special award and the first, second and third place winners as well as the single award winners through elimination competitions. Please go to the “Chinese Bridge — Official Chinese Competition website” (http://bridge.chinese.cn) for the detailed information.

Contact Information

MR. Nie Tingjie

Division of New Initiatives and International Exchanges

Tel: 86-10-58595971

Email:nietingjie@hanban.org

“Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign Secondary School Students Program
Program Introduction

In order to kindle the interest and passion of foreign youth in learning Chinese and in better understanding Chinese language and culture, Confucius Institute Headquarters(Hanban) initiated the “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign Secondary Students in 2008. As of today, the competition has been held five times, and has witnessed over 900 contestants representing more than 50 countries. Over 20,000 students have participated in the preliminary competitions in their own countries. The contents of the competition include Chinese language proficiency, knowledge about China, Chinese cultural talents and comprehensive learning abilities. Students who win the preliminary rounds held in their countries will qualify to come to China for the finals. They will also get scholarships as awards to further their studies in China.

Competition Procedure

1. Participants

Foreign high school students aged from 15 to 20 with foreign nationality, born and grown outside of China, first language is not Chinese.

2. Competition Process

(1) Preliminary Rounds

The educational or cultural offices of Chinese Embassies (Consulates) or Confucius Institutes organize the overseas preliminary competitions, select and recommend the winners to attend the final held in China. Outstanding contestants are also recommended to come to China to view the competition together with an accompanying teacher from their country.

(2) Final Round

The final round will result in the first, second and third group awards and the first, second and third individual awards as well as the single awards through a number of competitions in each October. Please login to the official “Chinese Bridge” website (http:// bridge.chinese.cn) for more details.

Contact Information

Liu Yun

Division of New Initiatives and International Exchanges

Tel: 86-10-58595972

Email:liuyun@hanban.org

Chinese Bridge for Foreign Schools
Program Introduction

“Chinese Bridge for Foreign Schools” is a cooperative project aiming at the foreign educators who have already established the Chinese program at their schools, or those who are thinking of opening the Chinese program, enhancing their understanding of the Chinese educational system, promoting the school cooperation and advancing the development of Chinese education overseas. The trip is generally a week long. During their visit the delegates will visit the Hanban Headquarters and attend the Chinese educational and cultural seminars; then they will go separately in groups to the cities and provinces to visit local schools to exchange ideas with the Chinese teachers and students and establish partnerships with the Chinese schools.

Application Requirements

1. Must be the head of an educational department at a state/county or school district level, a primary or secondary school principal, a president of a university, or other decisionmakers of Chinese language programs.

2. Committed to establishing or developing new Chinese language and culture programs at the school or in the school district and have not previously participated in the project.

3. All delegates must have valid passports, valid for at least 6 months after the departure date.

4. Under 60 years of age, healthy and fit for long distance travel.

Application Method
US: For the Summer Delegation apply through the Confucius Institutes; for the Winter Delegation go to the website of the College Board.

UK: The British Council and Confucius Institute for Scottish Schools will periodically issue programs and accept applications.

Other Countries: Apply through the Chinese Embassies/Consulates or the local Confucius Institutes.

Fees

Hanban will be responsible for the costs of food and lodging, transportation and group activities in China.

Responsibilities of Confucius Institutes/Classrooms

1. Responsible for promoting the project locally.

2. Accept applications, compile the information of applicants in the electronic format, conduct the initial screening, and then submit the list of delegates to Hanban for final review.

3. Assist Hanban in communicating with the delegates before departure, inform the arrangements of large-scale events while in China, introduce the general conditions of the provinces and cities to be visited and their reception plans, understand the needs of the delegates and their expectations of the program and consult with Hanban in solving the problems emerged.

4. Book the round-trip international airfare for the delegates, and assist in getting their visas.

5. Assign one coordinator for every 20 delegates to help

with the activities of the tour.

6. Upon completion of the program, collect feedback from the delegates and local response to the program, conduct follow-up activities through group reunions, and push local schools to establish and develop Chinese language and culture programs through the tour.

7. Contact Details

Division of New Initiatives and International Exchanges

US Xue Jiao

Phone: 86-10-58595914

E-mail: xuejiao@hanban.org

UK, other countries Zhao Jiajia

Phone: 86-10-58595964

E-mail: zhaojiajia@hanban.org