ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the relationship between Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) Level 3 and 4 exams at the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) Independent User levels (B1 and B2) and the assessment procedures of two Mandarin Chinese programmes in European higher education (HE), by investigating the correlation between the marks awarded by both. However, due to a lack of standardisation of Chinese as a foreign or second language (CFL) competence for all levels in line with CEFR, dependence on HSK tests for benchmarking is also prevalent among universities in the UK and Europe. It is imperative that studies are conducted to investigate whether HSK's tendency to place undue weighting on writing skills has affected the criterion-related validity of the HSK tests claimed to be in line with the CEFR levels of language competence. The HSK's policies on written language for the proficiency test may be in favour of promoting Chinese learning.
