The Confucius Institute at the University of Kansas (CIKU) is offering several Accelerated Chinese Teacher Certification Scholarships on a competitive basis for Mandarin speakers who want to become K-12 teachers of Chinese.  Scholarship awards include $7500 plus subsidized study in China and other benefits.  Recipients will participate in a licensure program in Mandarin Chinese at the University of Kansas beginning in the fall 2008 semester.  Both native speakers and non-native speakers of Mandarin Chinese are eligible to apply; applicants need NOT be Kansas residents or American citizens.  For eligibility requirements and application information, please visit contact Nancy Hope (nfhope@ku.edu) at CIKU.

Jiéyīng jiā yóu! Go Jayhawks!

Jayhawk Basketball in Chinese

On November 28, 2006, the Confucius Institute and the KU Athletics department provided streaming audio commentary on the KU men's basketball game in Chinese! The game was called by experienced basketball sportscaster Liang Zhiqun, one of CIKU's visiting scholars from Huazhong Normal University. During this historic first for KU (and possibly for any NCAA basketball game), fans around the world, including those from China, were able to listen to the game in Chinese on the KU athletics website. Local fans also gathered at the Kansas Union to watch the game with the Chinese broadcast. For more information, see events. Students of Chinese can prepare to talk bball with Chinese friends by brushing up with terms from our Chinese basketball vocabulary page or even listen to some basketball commentary in Chinese! Jiayou!

China's Vice Minister of Education Wu Qidi, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, and University of Kansas Chancellor Robert Hemenway celebrate the unveiling of the official plaque dedicating KU's Confucius Institute at the university's Edwards Campus in Overland Park on May 4,2006.

Chinese Ambassador to the U.S., Zhou Wenzhong, and University of Kansas Chancellor, Robert Hemenway, standing outside of Regnier Hall at the KU Edwards Campus during the Ambassador's tour of the Confucius Institute at the University of Kansas. October 18, 2006.

The Confucius Institute at the University of Kansas (CIKU) offers community-based Chinese language instruction, provides Chinese classes to high schools across Kansas through interactive distance learning, supports the training and professional development of Chinese language teachers, and promotes outreach programs on Chinese culture. Partnering with other units at the University of Kansas and a variety of public and private entities, CIKU serves communities, businesses, schools, government, non-profit organizations, and the media in Kansas, throughout the Great Plains region, and across the United States.