The Confucius Institute (Chinese: 孔子学院; pinyin: Kǒngzǐ Xuéyuàn) is a non-profit public educational organisation operating in approximately 480 countries whose aim is to provide Chinese language and cultural training resources to foreigners as well as to facilitate cultural and educational exchanges. The Confucius Institute seeks to meet the increased demands of foreign Chinese language students as a result of China’s rapidly growing economy as well as to foster the development of multiculturalism and to develop friendly relations between China and other countries.
 
Confucius Institutes operate around the world within established universities, colleges and secondary schools around the world, providing funding, teachers and educational materials. The Confucius Institute Headquarters, known by the acronym Hanban, are located in Beijing, China. Barbados’ Confucius Institute is located at The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus. The Confucius Institute is named in honour of Confucius (K’ung Fu-tzu), a great ancient Chinese philosopher.
 
For more information on the Confucius Institute, please visit the Confucius Institute Headquarters’ official website here: http://english.hanban.org/node_10971.htm