1、 Research background

This article introduces the background of Confucius Institutes as non-profit educational institutions, emphasizing their role in promoting the international dissemination of Chinese language, deepening understanding of Chinese language and culture, and enhancing cultural and educational exchanges between China and foreign countries. It mentioned the forum on the future development of Confucius Institutes during the World Chinese Language Conference, as well as the evaluation and expectations of Confucius Institutes from institutions such as the China Foreign Language Exchange and Cooperation Center and the China International Chinese Education Foundation. Reviewed the development achievements of Confucius Institutes over the past 20 years and pointed out the necessity of theoretical research on the development of Confucius Institutes. Based on previous reports and database information, this article systematically reviews the development history of Confucius Institutes, examines their practical effectiveness, analyzes existing problems, and proposes a path to promote high-quality development of overseas Confucius Institutes.

2、 The Development History of Confucius Institutes

The development process of Confucius Institutes has gone through four stages: initial establishment, rapid development, connotation construction, and transformational development. The initial establishment stage (2004-2006) witnessed the establishment and global layout of Confucius Institutes. In 2004, the Seoul Confucius Institute in South Korea became the world's first Confucius Institute. In the rapid development stage (2007-2014), the global layout of Confucius Institutes was initially achieved, rules and regulations were established, the scale of education increased, and characteristic Confucius Institutes and courses were offered. The stage of connotation construction (2015-2019) shifted towards quality improvement and characteristic development, with adjustments and innovations made to curriculum content, teaching methods, and management models. In the stage of transformation and development (2020-2024), the headquarters of Confucius Institutes will be renamed as the Center for Chinese Foreign Language Exchange and Cooperation of the Ministry of Education, and the China International Chinese Education Foundation will be established to operate Confucius Institutes under a brand authorization model, emphasizing digitization, localization, innovation, and sustainability. During the COVID-19, Confucius Institutes innovated curriculum and teaching methods, strengthened collaboration and cooperation, and formed joint forces. As of the end of 2023, there are 496 Confucius Institutes and 757 Confucius Classrooms in operation worldwide.

3、 The construction effectiveness of Confucius Institutes

The business scope of Confucius Institutes is extensive, including Chinese language teaching, related subject teaching, teacher training, teaching resource development, cultural exchange activities, examination certification, research consulting, etc. Over the past 20 years, Confucius Institutes have achieved significant results in terms of school scale, educational quality, cooperative ecology, and service functions. The scale of education has steadily expanded, and the number of Confucius Institutes and Confucius Classrooms, as well as the coverage of countries and regions, have significantly increased. The continuous improvement of education quality is reflected in the quality of international Chinese teaching, the ability of international Chinese teachers, the abundance and diversity of Chinese teaching resources, and the development of characteristic Confucius Institutes. The cooperative ecosystem is closely connected, forming a global partner network centered around Confucius Institutes. The service functions are constantly expanding, such as integrating into the local education system, organizing cultural exchange activities, conducting exams and certifications, and improving brand projects. The synergy between scientific research and practice has provided academic support for the development of Confucius Institutes.

4、 The problems faced by the development of Confucius Institutes

Confucius Institutes are facing internal and external challenges at a new historical starting point. Internal issues include the need to improve teaching resources and faculty structure, diversify cultural dissemination methods, balance quality and quantity, and innovate management access mechanisms. External issues include encountering misunderstandings, doubts, and stigmatization, as well as some partner universities canceling contract renewals and terminating cooperation. These issues affect the high-quality development of Confucius Institutes.

5、 The Development Path of Confucius Institutes

The construction of Confucius Institutes has entered a stage of high-quality development, which requires focusing on key areas and deepening efforts. The development direction includes: strengthening the concept of high-quality development, adhering to a global perspective, inclusive consciousness, confident consciousness, and innovative consciousness; Actively cultivating diversified partners, expanding forms of cooperation, and building a collaborative development ecosystem; Actively integrating with local culture, achieving localized development, strengthening the training of localized Chinese teachers, developing local teaching resources, and assisting in the integration of Chinese into the national education system; Insist on running schools with characteristics, set up "Chinese+vocational skills" education courses according to local conditions, and serve the construction of the "the Belt and Road"; Actively promoting digital transformation, utilizing new technologies to innovate teaching methods, improving digital teaching models, enhancing teachers' information literacy, and developing digital teaching resources.

6、 Conclusion

Confucius Institutes need to adhere to their original intention, uphold integrity and innovation, promote Chinese language and culture, strengthen international cooperation, expand influence, scientifically allocate resources, improve teaching quality, provide high-quality services, and play a greater role in global Chinese education and cultural dissemination with vitality and innovation, promoting the international dissemination of Chinese language and culture.