Educators cite benefits of institutes

Two renowned Italian Confucius Institute directors have said that Chinese "always listen to their suggestions" on how to promote language teaching in Italy and have never given "instructions or orders" to intervene in curricular and academic freedom.

And it is this smooth communication, they said, that will lead to a steady increase in Institutes, where nearly 150 have already been established.

In September, two universities in United States suspended negotiations to renew the Confucius Institute on their campuses, after concerns were raised in US media that the Confucius Institute has threatened academic freedom.