ABSTRACT
Since the establishment of the first Confucius Institute in 2004, its rapid development is widely seen as a result of the Chinese government’s efforts to build the country’s soft power in line with its fast-growing economic and political might in the world arena. However, national language promotional organisations like Confucius Institute are not uncommon. This chapter first reviews the development, activities, and management of three major European language promotion organisations: British Council, Alliance Française, and Goethe-Institut. Then it describes briefly the development of Confucius Institutes and Confucius Classrooms in the UK. It also compares Confucius Institutes with other organisations and briefly discusses characteristics they share or differ. The analyses and discussions show that these organisations came about in very different times and environment, but they all needed to take heed of the increasing financial pressure and local needs. It also shows that as Confucius Institute differs from other organisations in that it is a joint venture involving multiple agents, this could affect the subsequent planning and management of the teaching activities in the joint Confucius Institutes.
