As China's economy and exchanges with the world have seen rapid growth, there has also been a sharp increase in the world's demands for Chinese learning. Benefiting from the UK, France, Germany and Spain's experience in promoting their national languages, China began its own exploration through establishing non-profit public institutions which aim to promote Chinese language and culture in foreign countries in 2004: these were given the name the Confucius Institute.

The Confucius Institutes are non-profit public institutions which aim to meet the requires of people around the world of learning Chinese, to facilitate people around the world to learn the Chinese linguistic and understand Chinese cultural, to enhance China's people-to-people exchanges with the world, as well as the development of a diverse and colorful world civilization.

Confucius Institutes/Classrooms adopt flexible teaching patterns and adapt to suit local conditions when teaching Chinese language and promoting culture in foreign primary schools, secondary schools, communities and enterprises.

Over recent years, the Confucius Institutes' development has been sharp and they have provided scope for people all over the world to learn Cabout Chinese language and culture. In addition they have become a platform for cultural exchanges between China and the world as well as a bridge reinforcing friendship and cooperation between China and the rest of the world and are much welcomed across the globe.

(The above information is quoted from:http://english.hanban.org/)