Confucius goes corporate

TEACHING Chinese in most Victorian schools and equipping business with a cultural understanding of China are among the aims of the new Confucius Institute at the University of Melbourne.

TEACHING Chinese in most Victorian schools and equipping business with a cultural understanding of China are among the aims of the new Confucius Institute at the University of Melbourne.

The institute is the third of its type in Australia, but among 160 across the globe it is only the second to offer corporate programs.

The institute - a Chinese government vehicle for promoting the country's language and culture - will offer academic and corporate programs with four cross-cultural and four language classes.

It was launched on Monday by the China consul-general to Victoria, Liang Shugen, along with Melbourne University acting vice-chancellor Warren Bebbington.

Professor Bebbington said Chinese is spoken by almost one-fifth of the population and one goal of the institute was to help teachers upgrade their language skills.

"The institute aims to have Chinese taught in the majority of schools in Victoria," he said.

Institute director of corporate engagement Barbara Hilder said the only other Confucius Institute in the world to have a corporate programs arm was in the London School of Economics. Ms Hilder said the institute aims to upgrade Victorian businesses' skill in Chinese language, customs and communication to help companies create better relationships with China.

She said the institute had proven very popular since it became operational in February. "The uptake of companies for the Confucius Institute corporate programs has been really tremendous," she said. "Programs have been run for companies such as Telstra, BlackRock, Radiation Oncology Victoria, Innovia Films, Langham Hotel, and we will be holding training for some of Australia's largest companies in the coming months.."

The institute is partnered with China's Nanjing University and has funding of more than $1.5 million over three years from several sources, including the Chinese Government, the Victorian Government, Melbourne University and philanthropy.