Lan Jian, general manager of CollegeNET China, says: "The general response to the Mandarin class is very positive. However, Chinese is not easy to understand, let alone to master. I'm sure there will be a lot of follow-up effort to make."

Confucius Institutes are an initiative of China's central government that began in 2004 to promote Chinese language and culture, support Chinese teaching internationally, and facilitate cultural exchange. There are about 100 Confucius Institutes at US universities and colleges.

CIPSU was founded in 2007 as the 11th Confucius Institute established in the US. The institute currently has 11 instructors, providing 30 different Chinese classes to people in the greater Portland area.

"We work hard to make sure that all programs are assessed and designed to meet the specific desires and needs of our students," says Liu Meiru, the institute's director at Portland State. "The programs are exclusively tailored."

Liu says the courses provided include oral Chinese, business Chinese and simultaneous interpretation. "We wish to promote a better understanding of Chinese culture and language by tailoring courses in the most effective way," she added.

In addition to the Mandarin classes, the institute is offering cultural related activities to the public, such as tai chi. Liu says the idea is to promote Chinese culture as well as provide a low-key exercise for people who need a break from work or study.

Offering Mandarin courses to CollegeNET is the third time CIPSU has collaborated with a local company, having previously collaborated with sportswear maker Nike, and the Port of Portland, offering employees classes in Chinese language and culture for the workplace.

"We hope to work with more local companies to meet their goals in the future," Liu says.