On March 11, 2025, the Confucius Institute at Oxford Brookes University (CIOBU), jointly established by Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press (FLTRP) and Oxford Brookes University (OBU), convened its 2025 Annual board meeting in London. Attending the meeting in person were Wang Fang, Secretary of the CPC Committee of FLTRP Group, Chair of the Board of FLTRP Group, President of FLTRP, and Chair of the Chinese Board, Alistair Fitt, Vice Chancellor of OBU and Chair of the British Board, Angus Phillips, Director of CIOBU, Chen Xi, Co-director of CIOBU, along with Michael Henderson, Head of TDE Finance of OBU, Peng Donglin, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of FLTRP, and Shao Lei, Director of the International Cooperation Division of FLTRP, participated the meeting online.
Chaired by Mr. Fitt, the board heard detailed reports from Mr. Phillips on CIOBU’s 2024 performance and from Mr. Henderson on the annual financial review. The meeting reviewed and approved the 2024 CIOBU Annual Reportand the 2025 CIOBU Annual Budget. Representatives from both sides also renewed the institute’s implementation agreement, symbolizing a deepened collaboration to propel CIOBU into a new phase of development.
In 2024, CIOBU achieved remarkable progress in Chinese language education and cultural promotion. By establishing partnerships with two additional schools and launching innovative Chinese courses, student enrollment surged to 1,620, marking a 45% year-on-year increase. Furthermore, the institute organized 113 Chinese themed cultural events and publishing specific events, attracting a total of 9,468 participants—a 53% growth compared to the previous year.
In terms of collaborative innovation, CIOBU partnered with multiple cultural and educational institutions in China and the UK to deliver impactful projects. These included hosting the "Chinese Authors International Residency Program—Lu Min’s UK Tour" during the Oxford Literary Festival, organizing an international exchange program for senior Chinese publishing professionals (attracting over 120 participants from 45 publishing organizations), initiating the "Global Publishing Practice Program" for students specializing in publishing and international communication, and participating in Oxford’s largest annual public charity event"OxTrail".
CIOBU also strengthened its media outreach to enhance visibility. In June 2024, the institute launched a TikTok account, which had amassed over 3,000 followers, 56,000 likes, and nearly 2 million views by March 2025, showcasing its innovative capabilities in digital communication.
President Wang Fang warmly congratulated CIOBU on its decade of accomplishments. She emphasized that CIOBU has evolved from a language-teaching institution into a comprehensive platform integrating language education, cultural exchange, and publishing services. FLTRP, she stated, will leverage the renewed agreement as a fresh starting point to continue supporting CIOBU’s growth, confident that the institute will inject new vitality into Sino-UK cultural and educational exchanges. Mr. Fitt expressed gratitude for FLTRP’s long-standing support, noting that CIOBU, rooted in the world academic hub Oxford, serves as a unique model for cultural dialogue between China and the UK, Europe, and the world. Over the next decade, he added, CIOBU will further leverage its strengths to become a global exemplary brand among Confucius Institutes.
This board meeting not only summarized CIOBU’s achievements over the past year but also charted a clear path forward. With the renewed cooperation agreement, CIOBU will continue to play a pivotal role in promoting Chinese language and culture, fostering China-UK publishing collaborations, and building a robust bridge for China-UK people-to-people exchanges.
