The Confucius Institute is a non-profit educational institution jointly established by China and foreign countries. It is committed to adapting to the needs of people all over the world for learning Chinese, improving people's understanding of Languages of China and culture, strengthening educational and cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and other countries, developing friendly relations between China and foreign countries, promoting the development of multiculturalism in the world, and building a harmonious world.

Confucius Institutes in various countries have fully utilized their own advantages and gradually formed distinctive educational models, becoming important places for learning Chinese language and culture and understanding contemporary China in various countries. At present, there are two Confucius Institutes in Laos, one is the Confucius Institute of the National University, and the other is the Confucius Institute of Souphanouvong University in the ancient capital of Laos, Luang Prabang.

Song Minying, Dean of the Confucius Institute at Souphanouvong University, was invited to receive an interview on the "Ningdian Interview" column of Qingqiao magazine. He introduced in detail how the Institute has developed step by step and built a bridge between China and Laos. The following contents are sorted out by the interview.

The "Crystallization" of Friendship between China and Laos

The establishment of the Confucius Institute at Souphanouvong University is a successful example of the "1+1>2" cooperation model, the result of the in-depth cooperation between Kunming University of Science and Technology and Souphanouvong University, and the crystallization of China Laos friendship.

Kunming University of Science and Technology is a key university with the largest scale, complete educational levels and categories in Yunnan Province, with a history of 70 years.

In order to contribute to the building of a community with a shared future between China and Laos and cultivate more international talents with "Chinese+vocational skills", in 2018, with the approval of the Ministry of Education of China, Kunming University of Science and Technology and Souphanouvong University cooperated to establish a Confucius Institute in Luang Prabang, Laos. Based on the long-standing and friendly close relationship between China and Laos, the establishment of the college received attention from educational institutions and mainstream media in China and Laos from the beginning. The school's preparation work has also received support from various industries and fields in Laos.

The preparation and development of the Confucius Institute at Souphanouvong University is closely related to the long-term friendly relations between China and Laos. After the school was put into operation, it has been committed to the establishment and continuation of the "Chinese+" series of courses, providing Chinese teaching to the local community, promoting Chinese culture, promoting cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and Laos, opening up "Chinese+" vocational skills training projects, serving local society, promoting exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and foreign people, and improving the efficiency and quality of cooperation between local governments, enterprises, institutions, and relevant Chinese departments.

Unlike most Confucius Institutes, the Confucius Institute at Souphanouvong University can fully integrate the resources of the two universities. The Institute offers Chinese elective courses for all majors of Souphanouvong University, gradually increases the proportion and coverage of Chinese compulsory courses, promotes Chinese courses to enter the university curriculum education system, and gives full play to the scientific research advantages of Kunming University of Science and Technology, cooperates with foreign cooperation institutions, and carries out international scientific and technological cooperation.

At the same time, the Confucius Institute of Souphanouvong University also promotes cooperation with primary and secondary schools in Luang Prabang, establishes Chinese teaching sites, Confucius classrooms, or cultural centers, and increases the coverage and influence of Chinese teaching in the local basic Educational stage stage.

In addition, the college also promotes cultural interaction and exchange between China and foreign countries through various cultural activities, academic forums, conferences, etc., enabling local people, society, schools, governments, etc. to understand China, understand China, perceive China, and promote educational, cultural, and academic exchanges.

Moreover, Souphanouvong Confucius Institute of Law also attaches great importance to training and cultivating local Chinese teachers to provide teachers support for the sustainable development of Chinese teaching in the local area.

Initial results in diversified development

The Confucius Institute of Souphanouvong University is based on and integrated into the local area, giving full play to the professional and disciplinary advantages of Kunming University of Science and Technology, actively developing the "Chinese+" vocational skills training program, serving the local economic and social development, and has made a series of achievements.

The college has undertaken the training project of "Chinese+Mechanical Engineering" of Luang Prabang Arsenal of the Ministry of National Defense General Equipment of Laos. At the same time, Kunming University of Science and Technology has also sent full-time teachers of "Chinese+Mechanical Engineering" to carry out skills training on the spot.

In 2019 and 2020, the Confucius Institute of Souphanouvong University and the Tourism Department of Luang Prabang province Province jointly held the "Chinese+Tourism" training project for two consecutive years, and the "Chinese+Airport Service" airport staff training project for the Luang Prabang Management Office of the Lao Airport Authority for two consecutive years.

In addition, the college also opened the course of "Chinese+Railway Technology" in the China Laos Railway Maintenance Management Center, cooperated with Power Construction Corporation of China Nanoujiang Hydropower Station to carry out the vocational skills education and training course of "Chinese+Electrical Engineering", held the "International Training Course on Monitoring, Prevention and Control of Important Cross border Migratory Pests between China and Laos" at the teaching point of the Northern Academy of Agriculture and Forestry, and relied on the Department of Life Sciences and Medicine of Kunming University of Science and Technology in China Laos Friendship Hospital and medical institutions Langbla Medical College offers courses such as "Chinese+Medical Terminology".

In 2021, the Confucius Institute of Souphanouvong University organized the compilation of Out of Poverty in Lao language, which was widely promoted and distributed by the Lao government. In the same year, the "First International Chinese+Transport Development Forum" was held on the occasion of the first anniversary of the opening of the China Laos Railway. This forum is the first academic forum in the series of activities of "Theme Day Activities for the First Anniversary of China Laos Railway Operation" hosted by Yunnan Province.

In 2022, Souphanouvong Confucius Institute of Law will cooperate with the scientific research and technology team of Kunming University of Science and Technology to jointly build two provincial international scientific research cooperation platforms in Laos.

Among them, the "International Joint Laboratory for Machine translation and Application of South and Southeast Asian Languages in Yunnan Province" is a scientific research platform jointly declared by the Key Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence of Kunming University of Science and Technology and the Confucius Institute of Souphanouvong University. Souphanouvong University is responsible for collecting Lao language data and small language data, as well as the application and promotion of Southeast Asian countries. At present, this research result has been transformed into a product and a "portable intelligent translation machine" has been successfully developed.

The "Yunnan Green Food Processing International Joint Laboratory" was inaugurated at the Confucius Institute of Souphanouvong University in June 2023. The technology platform was applied for by the Food science engineering research team and the Confucius Institute of Kunming University of Science and Technology.

So far, the Institute has sent 2 Chinese presidents, 32 international Chinese teachers and volunteers, more than 3700 people have participated in various teaching and cultural activities organized by the Confucius Institute, and more than 2000 people have participated in the Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi.

With the further development of China Laos relations, the Confucius Institute jointly established by Kunming University of Science and Technology and Souphanouvong University in Laos has received strong support and help from the Chinese and Laotian governments, enterprises and all sectors of Laos society.

Continuously adjusting the direction of education and keeping up with the background of the times

In order to constantly adapt to the development of a community with a shared future between China and Laos, the Confucius Institute at Souphanouvong University has gradually shifted from short-term Chinese language training classes to long-term, professional Chinese language teaching, making efforts to provide more stable Chinese language professionals.

In October 2020, the first Chinese undergraduate major in northern Laos, which was established in cooperation with the Language School of Souphanouvong University, officially enrolled students for three consecutive years. Currently, there are 150 students on campus. The college radiates to the nine northern provinces of Laos, providing local universities, enterprises, and the public with relevant services such as Chinese education, Chinese proficiency level exams, recommendation of scholarship students studying in China, and international scientific and technological cooperation.

At the same time, with the construction and opening of the China Laos Railway, the Confucius Institute of Souphanouvong University has also established a friendly cooperation relationship with the China Laos Railway Company. In addition to sending professional teachers to the teaching site of the Operation and Maintenance Management Center of the China Laos Railway in Luang Prabang for "Chinese+Railway Technology" training, the "First International Chinese+Transport Development Forum" was also held on the first anniversary of the opening of the China Laos Railway, At the Luang Prabang railway station of the China Laos Railway, the activity of "Chinese talent entering the station" was organized to show the Chinese talent to the people of all countries at the station, further helping the development of the China Laos community with a shared future.

With the deepening of China Laos cooperation, the Confucius Institute plans to jointly build the "Fudian Academy" with the Old China Bank, and establish new outlets of the Old China Bank in Luang Prabang on the basis of the original outlets of Vientiane Bank and Boten Bank. It will also rely on the "Fudian Academy" to form a staff training base for Chinese funded financial institutions in Luang Prabang, Laos, and an overseas internship base for students majoring in finance, trade, etc. from domestic institutions.

In the future, the Confucius Institute at Souphanouvong University will continue to be committed to promoting the spread of Chinese culture, deepening the understanding of the world's people about Chinese culture, promoting people to people and cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries, increasing international understanding, serving local international Chinese education and other work, while further integrating into the local, and making a good bridge and link for exchanges and cooperation between China and Laos.

(Source: Confucius Institute of Souphanouvong University)