Representatives attend 2018 Joint Conference of Canadian Confucius Institutes in Ottawa, Canada, on June 27, 2018. 2018 Joint Conference of Canadian Confucius Institutes opened here Wednesday with the participation of nearly 40 representatives, including Chinese and Canadian principals, and presidents of 12 Confucius Institutes in Canada. (Xinhua/Li Baodong)

OTTAWA, June 27 (Xinhua) -- 2018 Joint Conference of Canadian Confucius Institutes opens in Ottawa Wednesday with the participation of nearly 40 representatives, including, Chinese and Canadian principals, presidents of 12 Confucius Institutes in Canada.

The two-day conference is aimed to exchange experience, innovate the concept of development, improve the quality of running institutes, strengthen practical and efficient cooperation, and promote the common progress of the Canadian Confucius Institutes in Canada.

The participants have conducted in-depth exchanges through group discussion on Public Image and Branding of Confucius Institute, the Interaction Between Confucius Institutes and Local Chinese Teachings, the Needs and Expectations of Universities and Communities for Confucius Institutes.

By the end of 2017, a total of 12 Confucius Institutes and 36 Confucius Classrooms were established across Canada, which have 123 teaching sites with registration of 20,968 students and held 500 cultural events with the participation of 246,631 people.