The International College of Chinese Language and Culture of Chongqing Normal University (“CNU”)mainly functions as a national teacher training base of the Office of Chinese Language Council International (“Hanban”) for international promotion of Chinese (Chongqing), a Chinese language education base of the Office for Overseas Chinese Affairs of the State Council for overseas Chinese and the International Chinese Language Promotion Base of Chongqing; it also undertakes management of Confucius Institutes, teaching of international students as well as academic research on specific countries and regions.

CNU established its first Confucius institute (Confucius Institute at Kigali Education Institute) in Africa in 2008. Up to now, it has already had 4 Confucius institutes established, i.e. Confucius Institute at Education Institute of Rwanda University in Rwanda, Africa; Confucius Institute at University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka, Asia; Confucius Institute at Edge Hill Universityin UK,Europe; and Confucius Institute at Troy University in US, North America. The total number of Confucius institutes established by CNU ranks No. 1 in Chongqing and No. 2 in the western region. In both 2013 and 2016, CNU won the Outstanding Confucius Institute Chinese Partner Award granted by Hanban (CI Headquarters). In 2016 and 2017, both Confucius Institute at Education Institute of Rwanda University in Rwanda and the Confucius Institute at Troy University in US were titled as “Advanced Confucius Institutes”. In the same year, CNU was appointed as an “Organization of Full-time Teachers Reserve for Confucius Institutes”.

In 2013, CNU was approved by Hanban to establish a national teacher training base for international promotion of Chinese (Chongqing) as the only national Chinese language promotion base in Chongqing. Since then, CNU has been undertaking projects and tasks relating to training, examinations and group reception assigned by Hanban. Meanwhile, CNU, as the International Chinese Language Promotion Base of Chongqing, also undertakes tasks assigned by Chongqing Municipal Education Commission. Since 2013, it has undertaken 2 pre-job trainings of Chinese deans for Confucius institutes of Hanban in which 289 trainees participated, 9 pre-job trainings of voluntary Chinese teachers in which 1,067 trainees participated, 3 examinations for selection of government-sponsored teachers in which 456 teachers participated, and 16 examinations for selection of voluntary Chinese teachers in which 3,237 people participated; it has also received 4 visiting groups of American principals for the “Chinese Bridge” (including 148 group members), 3 groups of middle school students for the “Chinese Bridge” (including 134 group members) and 16 groups from Confucius institutes (including 300 group members).

In 2017, CNU had three research institutions (Center for Sri Lanka Studies, Center for East Africa Studies and Center for Indonesia-Papua New Guinea Studies) approved by the Ministry of Education as centers registered for country-specific research, and had the most centers of this kind approved by the Ministry of Education among higher education institutions in Chongqing. These centers are playing a significant role in construction of a national country-specific and regional studies base.

In 2000, CNU was appointed by the Office for Overseas Chinese Affairs of the State Council as one of the first Chinese language education bases for overseas Chinese, and the only Chinese education base in western China. As a base, it mainly undertakes “Root-seeking Tour” spring (summer, autumn or winter) camps organized by the Office for Overseas Chinese Affairs of the State Council for overseas Chinese youths, teachers trainings and “Chinese Culture Tour” organized by Chinese Language and Culture Education Foundation of China. It has undertaken altogether 16 projects, and had nearly 2,000 participants in the projects. Besides, CNU has also established broad connections with Chinese language teaching organizations in more than 20 countries, including the United States, Britain, Australia, Indonesia and South Africa.

In 2017, the School had 221 international students, accounting for 68% in the total number of international students in CNU. Among the international students, 112 students are specialized in Chinese at different level, 101 students are included in the “South Asian Teacher Training Program”, and 8 students are enrolled in the “2+2 International Chinese Language Education Program”.