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It is no surprise that China’s demand for raw materials such as iron ore has fuelled Western Australia’s economic growth. China is now WA’s number one trading partner accounting for 21.45% of WA exports in 2007. Given the overall strength of the Chinese economy, the WA mining boom is set to continue with the Sino-Australian trade relationship currently worth billions. WA’s sister state in China is Zhejiang Province, a major recipient of iron ore. In order to take advantage of the trade partnership, engineers need to be well versed in Chinese business, language and culture. The Confucius Institute at The University of Western Australia exists to promote Chinese language, culture and business and to strengthen Sino-Australian ties.

Situated at the historic UWA Claremont Campus, the Confucius Institute plays an important role in helping enhance WA’s relationship with China by promoting awareness of contemporary China, and by offering a range of products and services for the engineering community, industry and graduates. The Confucius Institute offers beginner Chinese language classes, one-on-one tuition, and a variety of innovative cultural workshops and training seminars for those who are interested in improving their language skills or knowledge of China. These courses will give a major advantage to engineers and engineering companies dealing with the Chinese by improving their networking and negotiation skills. Having the ability to speak Chinese creates a shared understanding and fosters mutual trust when dealing with Chinese partners.

For more information on our corporate training packages or for general enquiries, please contact The Confucius Institute on (08) 6488 6888.