Beijing Language and Culture University:
Founded in 1962, Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU)
was originally named the higher preparatory School for Foreign Students.
In 1964, it was renamed Beijing Language Institute. And then in 1996,
with the approval of the Ministry of Education, the school was designated
as Beijing Language and Culture University. It is the only international
university in China with its main task set at teaching the Chinese
language and culture to foreign students. Meanwhile it also undertakes
the tasks of teaching foreign languages to Chinese students, of training
teachers specialized in teaching Chinese as a foreign language, and
of offering predeparture language training to candidates intending
to go abroad. For nearly 40 years since its founding, the university
has trained some 50,000 foreign students who are proficient in Chinese
and who are familiar with the Chinese culture, from over 160 countries
and regions in the world. Nowadays, more than 6,000 international
students and over 2,000 Chinese students come and study in the university
each year.
