If any word can capture the essence of the world today, it is ‘change.’ The changes are rapid and the world is increasingly fluid rather than rigidly divided as in earlier times, creating both opportunities and tensions. As citizens of today’s world continue to interact in virtual, physical, social, economic, and political arenas, the demands for the ability to speak additional languages continue to grow more dire. As a predominant medium of communication, knowing a foreign language is key not only to improving the life quality of mankind but also in resolving political and economic conflicts, thereby promoting peace and prosperity worldwide.

The Center’s core mission is two-fold:

a) to promote and enact top-notch teacher training activities, effectively addressing critical demands for qualified teachers of Chinese and English, especially in Asia, the Middle East, South America and the US;

b) to pursue classroom-based inquiries that would enrich the Center’s teacher-training activities and contribute more broadly to the general understanding of foreign language learning and teacher preparation.