Bilingual Instruction in Chinese Universities

Given the very unified and predominantly monolingual character of Chinese culture, bilingual instruction in China did not exist until very recently. Now, due to the much closer links with the West and following a recent directive from the Chinese Government, it is becoming a reality. The successful introduction of bilingual instruction by Zhejian University shows that it can be done, despite the failure or only partial success of so many other universities. We endeavour to identify the factors that determine the effective application of bilingual instruction and the problems that may be encountered. We make a number of recommendations and propose viable solutions to the difficulties.