The Scottish Confucius Institute for Business & Communication (SCIBC) at Heriot-Watt University was established in 2014 and is one of five business-focused Confucius Institutes in the UK, and part of a wider European and global network of more than five hundred Confucius Institutes. In late June 2020, the Confucius Institute Headquarters (Hanban) was reconstituted. From 2021 the Scottish Confucius Institute for Business & Communication has a new support structure composed of the recently established Chinese International Education Foundation and the Centre for Language Education and Cooperation. The Chinese International Education Foundation (CIEF) is a non-profit charitable organisation jointly initiated by 27 universities, enterprises and social groups which is dedicated to supporting Chinese international education projects worldwide, including Confucius Institutes. The Centre for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC) is a non-profit professional educational institution for international Chinese language education, affiliated with the Chinese Ministry of Education. Its main functions are developing National Chinese Language Proficiency standards across the world and hosting certification tests; supporting the provision of teaching resources; operating international Chinese language education programmes such as the “Chinese Bridge” series and China Studies Programme; and organising relevant activities of international exchanges and cooperation.
Funding for the SCIBC is now allocated from the partner University in China, in our case from Tianjin University of Finance & Economics (TUFE) which liaises with CIEF on the grant allocation for our partnership activities.
The SCIBC is a dedicated unit/department within Heriot-Watt University, operating with a pan-institutional remit. It was established in partnership with Tianjin University of Finance & Economics (TUFE), is jointly supported by both Universities, and receives an annual grant for activities in accordance with the support structure above. As a part of Heriot-Watt University, the SCIBC operates in the same way as any other University operational unit or academic department, upholding fully the mission and values of the University, and supporting global engagement activities which form part of the University’s strategic plan.
It operates transparently in accordance with University governance and financial regulations, and its annual operating plan and forward strategy are overseen by an Advisory Board chaired by the two University Principals.
The implementation agreement for the Scottish Confucius Institute for Business & Communication can be accessed below.
