ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses and analyses the findings of the field study of the two Confucius Institutes at the institutional level. The study looks at the intentions, expectations, and commitment of each partner institution involved in the three-way partnership of the Confucius Institutes concerned. It examines some of the dynamic interactive process by which the partner institutions negotiated in reaching the agreement and the resulting policy statements and subsequently the positioning of the Confucius Institute in the host university. The ethnographic field study shows that the joint venture nature of the Confucius Institute was an attractive model to all the partner institutions, but each of them had its own agendas, expectations, priorities, and interest in the joint venture. This meant that each partner had a considerable influence and impact on both explicit and implicit Chinese teaching and learning policy statements and practices in the joint venture. The study also exposes a cause for concern in terms of sustainable development of Confucius Institute with regards to its long-term financial status and commitment by its institutional partners.
