Her Highness Sheikha Moza Attends HBKU’s Conference on AI Ethics

Expanding its collaboration with leading institutions, the Language Center within Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s (HBKU) College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) has been designated a Chinese Testing International (CTI) center, starting this year.

The accreditation builds on a 2023 agreement to establish the HBKU Chinese Testing Center. CTI organizes China’s national standardized language examinations, including the HSK (Chinese Proficiency Test) and YCT (Youth Chinese Test), which are globally recognized benchmarks of Chinese language proficiency. The accreditation authorizes HBKU to conduct these examinations, establishing the University as a certified hub for Chinese language assessment in Qatar and the region. 

This milestone strengthens HBKU’s international academic partnerships while expanding access to world class qualifications for students and professionals. It reinforces the University’s role in supporting multilingual education, cross-cultural engagement, and skills development aligned with contemporary workforce requirements.

In preparation for the designation, the Language Center undertook a comprehensive curriculum transformation. Since mid-2024, Chinese language courses for children, youths, and adults have been fully aligned with HSK and YCT standards, including teaching materials, assessment frameworks, and proficiency benchmarks. Additionally, six members of HBKU’s Chinese language faculty, including the program coordinator, obtained CTI Invigilator Certification, enabling them to administer official examinations for a five-year period.

Dr. Ameena Abdulmajeed Hussain, Director, Language Center, commented: “Becoming a Chinese language test center aligns perfectly with our commitment to providing learners with world-class educational services. Chinese is one of the most widely spoken languages worldwide, making this accreditation a valuable addition to our offerings, and reflects the University’s position as a forward-looking academic institution.”

The HBKU Chinese Testing Center held its first HSK examination session on January 24, 2026. The tests cover HSK Levels 1–3 and the HSKK Primary speaking test, with additional sessions set to follow.