The Confucius Institute is a non-profit educational institution established by academic bodies in Cina and abroad. It aims to promote Chinese language dissemination, deepen the understanding of the Chinese language and culture outside China, promote cultural exchanges, and enhance international cooperation.
The Confucius Institute at the University of Torino was established in 2008 by the University of Torino in cooperation with the East China Normal University of Shanghai. It organizes Chinese classes for all ages at all levels. Courses are aimed at preparing for the Chinese proficiency international certificates: HSK (Chinese Proficiency), HSKK (HSK Speaking Test) YCT (Youth Chinese) e BCT (Business Chinese) tests can all be taken at the Confucius Institute at the University of Torino.
The Confucius Institute at the University of Torino promotes cultural events, aiming at spreading Chinese culture among the general public: lectures open to the local community are held on different topics about China, such as literature, currents affairs, history, politics, and philosophy; art exhibitions, classical and contemporary music concerts, plays, and rendezvous with Chinese writers are often promoted
by our Institute.
In cooperation with the Regional Education Office of Piedmont, the Turin Confucius Institute is constantly developping a Schools Network project, focused on promoting the teaching of Chinese language and culture in a variety of local schools, from primary to senior high school and college levels.
To date, 22 local schools and 1400 students are included in the collaboration network of the Institute. Its 20 Italian teachers are specifically trained in teaching Chinese as a foreign language, whereas native teachers obtain a degree in teaching Chinese as a second language at the East China Normal University in Shanghai.
Partner Institutions
East China Normal University (ECNU) 华东师范大学
Founded in Shanghai in 1951, the East China Normal University is one of the most prestigious universities in China. Since China opened up to the world in 1978, ECNU has rapidly developed into a comprehensive research university. At present, the University has 21 schools and colleges, with 58 departments offering 70 undergraduate programs in humanities, education, science, engineering, economics, management, philosophy, psychology, law, history and art. Besides that, the University also includes 5 advanced research institutes, among which the Department of Chinese as a Foreign Language is particularly worthy of mention.
Founded in 1404, the University of Turin is one of the most ancient universities in Italy. Many of the leading figures in 20th century Italian political and social life, such as Antonio Gramsci, Piero Gobetti, and Palmiro Togliatti graduated from Torino University, as well as three winners of the Nobel Prize for Medicine, Salvatore Luria, Rita Levi Montalcini, and Renato Dulbecco, together with two Presidents of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi and Giuseppe Saragat. To date, the University of Turin is one of the largest Italian Universities, hosting 70.000 students, and 4.000 academic, administrative and technical staff members. With its 27 Departments, the University of Turin virtually covers every field of knowledge; its research centers are among the best ones in Italy and abroad.
The study of Chinese language was introduced in the mid 1980s; since 2005 the University of Turin offers a Bachelor degree program in Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa and a Master’s degree program in Languages and Civilizations of Asia and Africa, where Chinese is one of the most studied languages.