Victoria University staff and students can come to our free Mandarin learning workshops, offered on different dates throughout the year. We also host monthly Chinese Cultural Talks and Doing Business with China webinar to engage the community. 

The Victoria Business Confucius Institute (VBCI) also facilitates school programs in Melbourne. Email vbci@vu.edu.au for information.

Chinese language & culture program

The VBCI now offers non-award units, providing participants with a good opportunity to learn Mandarin Chinese, focusing on developing communication skills, supported with basic Chinese characters and culture. Those units also provide participants the opportunity to learn Mandarin and gain an overview of China's changing environment and current business practices. All classes will be delivered online through Zoom.

Key features of our course

  • Chinese Made Easy: We firmly believe that learning Chinese is not difficult; it simply requires the right approach and a positive attitude. Our teachers will provide effective learning strategies and techniques, helping students grasp Chinese grammar and vocabulary with ease. Through personalized guidance and regular progress evaluations, we ensure that every student achieves remarkable learning outcomes.
  • Systematic Teaching: Our course covers various aspects of the HSK exam, including vocabulary, grammar, reading, and writing. With a structured teaching approach, we help students comprehensively improve their Chinese language skills and establish a solid foundation for achieving excellent results in the HSK exam.
  • Engaging Activities: Learning should be fun, and that's why our classes are filled with interesting and interactive activities. Through games, role-playing, group collaborations, and more, students will consolidate their knowledge in a relaxed atmosphere while enhancing their speaking and listening abilities. We encourage students to freely express themselves, nurturing their language skills and self-confidence.
  • Cultural Immersion: We believe that learning Chinese goes beyond language acquisition; it involves immersing oneself in rich Chinese culture. In our classes, students will have the opportunity to explore traditional festivals, customs, literary arts, and more. Through classroom activities and interactions, students will experience the charm of Chinese culture firsthand, fostering a deeper understanding and interest in China.

The program is divided into 2 pathways: Basic Chinese and Business Chinese. There are 13 sessions in total for each unit, including 12 teaching sessions and 1 assessment session. Each session lasts for 1.5 hours.

  • Cost: Free
  • Teaching Schedule:  28 August to 24 November 2023

Contact person: Should you have any queries, please contact Ms Betty Gao at betty.gao@vu.edu.au.

Register now

Designed for different learning needs, the Basic Chinese units are aiming at general Chinese language purpose.

  • Basic Chinese 1: For complete beginners with no previous Chinese learning experience.
  • Basic Chinese 2: For elementary learners with a vocabulary of 50- 70, or who have completed Basic Chinese 1.
  • Basic Chinese 3: For elementary learners who are about to start HSK 2, or who have completed Basic Chinese 2.
  • Basic Chinese 3 extension sessions: For elementary learners who have completed Basic Chinese 3 or who wish to complete HSK 2. (Note: This unit is not included in non-award units.)

The Business Chinese units are aiming at Chinese language at business contexts.

  • Business Chinese 1: For complete beginners with no previous Chinese learning experience who are interested in Chinese for business purposes.
A teacher giving a Chinese Mandarin class.

Free beginner courses

Victoria Business Confucius Institute provides Chinese culture and Mandarin classes for anyone who is interested in learning, but has no Chinese experience or background. 

The course is designed to provide participants with an opportunity to learn Chinese Mandarin, gaining an overview of the language. Specifically, it provides an introduction at a reasonable pace with the emphasis on developing listening and speaking skills.

Registration is now open for another round of introductory workshop! 

Date: every Wed from 16 Nov - 14 Dec 2022

Time: 12.00 - 12.45 PM AEDT

Delivery: online via Zoom

Register

On successful completion of this session, participants will:

  • have a basic understanding of Chinese language and its structure
  • be able to perform basic greetings and expressions for daily communication
  • be able to learn Mandarin through some platforms by themselves.

Eligibility

Our short-term free Mandarin workshops are for people:

  • who are VU staff, student, alumni
  • who have no prior knowledge or experience in Chinese.

Note: The priority will be given to the new students. As the content of the workshop is mostly the same, if you really want to join for a revision, you are welcome to register for the workshops again. For further Mandarin learning, refer to our non-award Chinese Language & Culture Program.

 

Throughout a 6-week accelerated program, participants will be able to quickly achieve up to 50-70 basic Chinese vocabulary and daily conversation words, which would normally take 13 weeks.

Dates and information for the next round will be provided soon.

The program is divided into 2 pathways:

  • Basic Chinese 1: Designed for beginners, and aimed at general Chinese language purpose. 6-7.30pm (every Monday and Wednesday)
  • Business Chinese 1: is aimed at Chinese language in business contexts; 6-7.30pm (every Tuesday and Thursday) 

They are both non-award units, providing participants with a good opportunity to learn Mandarin Chinese. The programs focus on developing communication skills and basic Chinese characters and sentence structures.  

Cost: free

Delivery mode: Online via Zoom

Join our waitlist for the next session 

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