About Us

Welcome to our new website for the Chinese Language Flagship Center at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa!    

Our program goals remain the same as ever: to provide a well-rounded educational experience for our students as they establish their place among the next generation of global professionals while commanding a superior level of proficiency in Mandarin Chinese. This is a remarkable university program with unparalleled privileges and the end result is a transformative experience for our students’ professional and personal growth.

In addition to their undergraduate degree, individualized attention for each student — along with generous financial aid opportunities — make this learning experience unique at UHM. The Center also actively engages in professional-level Chinese curriculum development, innovative pedagogical exploration, Flagship teacher and tutor training, and extracurricular activity organization.

Our staff — comprising of Chinese faculty, instructors, teaching assistants and dedicated office staff — are here to help!

Program Goals

‍The mission of the University of Hawaiʻi Chinese Flagship Program is to provide a well-rounded educational experience to our students — in their pursuit of a commanding level of proficiency in Mandarin Chinese — as they establish their place among the next generation of global professionals. This program is made possible by our sponsor, The Language Flagship. Our sponsor’s vision is to expand the national pool of U.S. citizens proficient in Chinese by providing intensive language training to highly motivated and promising university students. Through the Chinese Language Flagship Center at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, students are offered the unprecedented opportunity to integrate high levels of proficiency in Chinese with their major of choice in any field so that after they graduate they will be able to perform their job duties in English and in Chinese without linguistic or cultural barriers. The cornerstone of the Flagship academic experience is a Capstone Year, which includes specialized study either abroad or domestically.

The Language Flagship

‍The Language Flagship represents a nationwide effort to revolutionize the way Americans learn foreign languages. Started in 2002, the program offers a new way for students to reach professional levels of proficiency in languages that are less commonly taught in the United States. Mandarin Chinese was identified as one of the seven such languages chosen by The Language Flagship organization based in Washington, D.C. — resulting in the establishment of thirteen programs in Chinese across the country. Meanwhile, Flagship Overseas Centers provide opportunities for students to hone their language skills while enrolled in content courses and participating in a professional internship — conducted entirely in Chinese. In addition to receiving an undergraduate degree in Chinese Flagship, graduates of this unique, federally funded degree program can continue to obtain certification in professional proficiency in Chinese from The Language Flagship program.

The Korean Language Flagship Center

The Korean Language Flagship Center (KLFC), a fellow Flagship program on the UHM campus, is one of the collaborative partners of the CLFC. Both centers engage in the joint promotion of the Flagship program, as well as campus and statewide student recruitment activities throughout the school semester. This joint organization of Flagship recruitment exhibitions occur during campus-wide events, such as Discover Manoa. The KLFC and the CLFC also support each other in their respective operations, acting as test proctors and external reviewers for the other’s language proficiency tests.

The Language Flagship Technology Innovation Center

The CLFC participates in the UHM Flagship Tech Center’s events and receives their staff’s support in incorporating technology to curriculum design and our program activities. Not only do we use their space for events and professional development activities, our students participate in events like the Hackathon as well as utilize their language resources including the Ignite Green Ideas simulation project.

Kapiolani Community College

The CLFC commonly recruits students who have transferred over from KCC to UHM to continue their undergraduate studies. KCC instructors recommend potential candidates to the CLFC program in order to further their Chinese language education.

Local K-12 Schools

The CLFC has been working with local high schools with Chinese programs in order to recruit potential students to our program at UHM. The CLFC has successfully recruited students from local K-12 institutions such as Iolani, Kamehameha, Roosevelt, Kalani, Kaiser, and many more.

UHM ROTC Programs

The CLFC collaborates with the three ROTC programs at UHM to recruit cadets to join Chinese Flagship by promoting the opportunity to gain advanced-level Chinese language skills. The CLFC staff also coordinates with their ROTC staff counterparts to ensure a smooth process for ROTC students recruited to the CLFC to complete the rigorous requirements of both programs. The ROTC programs also offer additional scholarships to support their cadets in their efforts to improve their Chinese language proficiency, including participation in the CLFC.

Air Force ROTC

Aerospace Studies is part of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program. Through this program, full-time students pursue a commission in the U.S. Air Force. Once commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, graduates of the Air Force ROTC program serve for a specified period of time. Language Flagship Scholarships as well as Type 1 and 2 In-College Scholarships (ICSP) are available.

Army ROTC

The Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program provides full-time college students the opportunity to pursue a commission in the U.S. Army, U.S. Army Reserve, or the Hawai‘i Army National Guard. Officers may be commissioned on active duty, in a reserve component while pursuing a civilian career, or receive an education delay to earn a graduate or professional degree. There are 4-year, 3-year, and 2-year scholarships available.

Navy ROTC

Naval Science Leadership (NAVL) is part of the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) program at the University of Hawai‘i Manoa. Participants in the NROTC program–recipients of the National NROTC scholarship and College Programmers–are pursuing a commission to serve on active duty in the Navy or Marine Corps following their graduation and completion of all NROTC commissioning requirements.

Note: There are scholarships uniquely for ROTC-Flagship students, please speak to our Flagship team and your ROTC commander for more information.