Beijing, May 25 (People's Daily Online)-- Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) held a ceremony Thursday to mark the 5th Anniversary of its Confucius Institutes Operation. Ms. Xu Lin, Director of China's Hanban (Confucius Institute Headquarters) attended the ceremony.

Prof. Yang Xueyi, Chairman of the University Council of BFSU made a brief introduction about the work and achievements BFSU has made in the development of Confucius Institute. In May 2007, BFSU become the first university to set up a Confucius Institute Office in charge of the operation of the institutes and relevant affairs. BSFU has set up 17 Confucius Institutes/Classrooms in 14 countries by May 2012, becoming the first-ranked Chinese university in terms of the number of Confucius Institutes it established. 

The constant development of Confucius Institute has brought many opportunities to BFSU. For example, it can provide the chance for students to have internship abroad, and pour new messages into the courses such as cross-cultural communication and Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language. In addition, with more and more foreigners coming to China to learn Chinese, there is gradual increase in the number of overseas students. 

Ms. Xu Lin spoke highly of the work BFSU has done to promote the development of Confucius Institute.