The opening ceremony of the Fifth Confucius Institute Conference was held at the National Convention Center in Beijing on December 10th 2010, attracting 1400 university presidents and Confucius Institute representatives from 96 countries and regions. The theme of the two-day conference was sustainable development of the Confucius Institute.

Present at the opening ceremony were senior leaders including Li Changchun, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and Liu Yandong, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, state councilor and chair of the Council of the Confucius Institute Headquarters. They awarded certificates to outstanding groups and individuals from global Confucius institutes and excellent international Chinese teaching-materials compilers. They also watched performances given by the students of Confucius institutes. Li Changchun extended congratulations to the awarded individuals and groups and encouraged them to sum up successful experiences and learn from each other, facilitate cultural and educational exchanges and cooperation between China and the rest of the world, deepen understanding and friendship between the Chinese people and peoples of other countries, and contribute to the construction of a harmonious world.

While addressing the opening ceremony, Liu Yandong said that the Confucius Institute had undergone an extraordinary journey in the past five years and made remarkable achievements, and now stands at a new starting point. Exchange and dialogue between diverse cultures, the ideal of harmonious co-existence of different societies, China's wider opening-up and the trend of strengthening international educational cooperation had all offered new opportunities and entrusted new missions to the Confucius Institute. Looking ahead, the Confucius Institute should continue to adhere to the principle of co-construction by both the Chinese and host institutions, and the principle of joint-ownership, co-administration and co-sharing, she said, adding that support and cohesion should be enhanced to promote the sustainable development of the Confucius Institute.

The annual Confucius Institute Conference provides a platform for Confucius institutes around the globe to summarize their experiences, strengthen communications and cooperation. Five conferences have been held successively since 2006. During this conference, other activities were also held, including the Presidents' Forum, the Confucius Institute Directors' Forum and an exhibition on international Chinese teaching materials. The activities aimed to provide more space for the participants to make exchanges and better share teaching experience and resources.

The Confucius Institute at Michigan State University run jointly by the Open University of China (OUC) and Michigan State University was invited to attend the conference for the fifth time, and the multi-player online game Zon developed for Chinese study won the certificate for excellent international Chinese teaching materials at the conference.

MyEChinese, the Chinese distance teaching system developed by the OUC Chinese Language Center made its debut at the Confucius Institute Conference. Its design concept based on the theory of ubiquitous learning, its teaching method and rich and diversified multi-media teaching resources tailored to global Confucius institutes attracted a great deal of attention and won favorable comments from the leaders and experts present at the conference.

Mr. Zhang Shaogang, vice chairman of the Board of Confucius Institute at Michigan State University and vice president of the OUC was also invited to attend the opening ceremony together with Ms. Li Yawan, member of the Board of Confucius Institute at Michigan State University and director of the OUC International Cooperation and Exchange Division. Mr. Liang Xiaoqing, director of the OUC Chinese Language Center, attended this Confucius Institute Conference as the president of the Confucius Institute at Michigan State University.

The closing ceremony of the conference chaired by Xu Lin, director of Hanban, was held at 9:00 a.m.on December 12. Vice minister of Education Hao Ping made a concluding remark and put forward requirements and expectations for the work of the Confucius Institute in the next year. At about 11:30 a.m., the conference concluded in a warm and peaceful atmosphere.

By Li Jingyi, the OUC