The Confucius Institute at Novosibirsk State University of Technology (NSTU) was founded in September 2007 and is the first such institute in the central regions of Russia. Mme. Chen Zhili, former member of the State Council, Mr. Zhou Ji, former Minister of Education, Mr. Qiao Zonghuai, Deputy-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Liu Guchang, Chinese Ambassador to Russia, Ms. Xu Lin, Director General of International Chinese Language Council, Mr. Li Shusen, Deputy-Director of the Education Department of Liaoning Province, leaders from relevant Ministries, the governor of Novosibirsk, and the Consulate Generals of Germany and Israel, were present at the opening ceremony. Mme. Sun Yuhua, President of Dalian University of Foreign Languages, addressed the gathering.

With the support of the International Chinese Language Council and through cooperation between DUFL and NSTU, the Confucius Institute has made great achievements in its development over the past six years. The Confucius Institute at NSTU ranks as one of the top Confucius Institutes worldwide and was chosen as “2010 Confucius Institute of the Year”. The award was presented by Mr. Li Changchun, the former member of the Standing Committee of the Politbureau of the CPC Central Committee.

As of the end of 2013, the Confucius Institute had offered 276 Chinese language training classes in Novosibirsk and its neighboring areas, including those offered at Chinese culture and language instruction centers in Nova Kursk, Barnaul and Kemerovo. These classes and centers had an intake of 3,600 learners and hosted eighty-eight cultural activities with over 60,000 participants. Through activities such as photographic, painting and calligraphy exhibitions, singing contests, speech contests, culture lectures, summer camps, international symposia, and local television programs, the Confucius Institute has become an important arena for promoting Chinese language and culture.