Thursday, December 6, 2007
DISTRICT TO RECEIVE PRESTIGIOUS CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE
Coveted partnership first of its kind in Canada
A groundbreaking agreement with the Chinese Ministry of Education to establish a Confucius Institute in Edmonton will usher in a new era of exciting learning opportunities for District students and staff in the areas of Chinese language and culture.
The Confucius Institute in Edmonton (CIE) is being established in response to the growing need for fluency in Chinese languages outside China. It will be the first of its kind established under a public school board in Canada, an honour to a school district that has a long tradition of offering renowned instruction in international languages.
The partnership will allocate funding and support to Chinese language programming in Edmonton Public Schools, offer increased professional development opportunities for teachers and innovative resources for instruction of Chinese language and culture. In addition, it will encourage increased inter-visitation between Chinese and District students and staff.
"Hosting such a prestigious Institute under our Board is really a testament to the exceptional hard work and dedication of District staff." says Bev Esslinger, Board Chair. "I'm confident the Confucius Institute will add significant value to our Mandarin program while helping students gain new insights and understanding into Chinese culture."
The Superintendent of Schools, Edgar Schmidt and the Chair of the Board of Trustees, Bev Esslinger, will sign the agreement alongside high ranking officials from the Chinese Ministry of Education in Beijing on December 11. The Confucius Institute in Edmonton will be established in collaboration with the Shandong Education Commission and the Communication University of China, under the authorization and sponsorship of China's National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (HANBAN.)
"This agreement is a tremendous honour for our District and, indeed, our city," says Superintendent Schmidt. "Entering into this partnership signifies China's acknowledgement of Edmonton Public Schools as a world leader in Chinese language education; it is certainly an endorsement of the second language learning model we have in place to enrich the educational experiences of our students."
The Confucius Institute in Edmonton (CIE) will be part of a global network of more than 120 Confucius Institutes in 50 countries, each of which is dedicated to the promotion and development of Chinese language education and cultural and business exchange with China.
For more information:
Lisa Austin, Communications Director
(780) 429-8043
Edmonton Public Schools is helping to shape the future in every one of our classrooms. We’re focused on ensuring each student learns to their full potential and develops the ability, passion and imagination to pursue their dreams and contribute to their community.
Edmonton Public Schools
Centre for Education
1 Kingsway NW
Edmonton, Alberta T5H 4G9