In 1982, National Cheng Kung University etablished the Chinese Language Center offering a complete Chinese language training program to promote international cultural exchange. Each year, more than 1,000 foreign students from over 50 different countries study Mandarin Chinese at the language Center. The students are of all ages ranging from early teens to retired seniors. Additionally, in response to popular demand, summer classes are now available for younger children. The CLC is the second largest among all national universities in Taiwan. With 30% growth in student numbers since 2012 and number of students over 1,000, the CLC received additional funding by the Taiwanese Ministry of Education in 2013. In 2015, the CLC passed the 2015 nationwide Chinese language centers evaluation conducted by the Ministry of Education and was awarded the A level recognition. In 2016, the Uinited States Department of State selected NCKU to be its only partner in Taiwan to host the Chinese Critical Language Scholarship Program (CLS).