Beijing International Studies University (BISU) signed a university-level communication deal and enforcement agreement with the University of Central Lancashire (Britain) on Dec 12, 2007 on the building of a Confucius Institute.

A ceremony was held on Sept 26, 2008 to inaugurate the Confucius Institute.

With a total floor area of 160 square meters, the Confucius Institute comprises three offices and one warehouse.

The Confucius Institute opens nine credit courses and 10 non-credit courses. It has also provided 13 local elementary and secondary schools with 43 courses.

In 2021, the Confucius Institute had 855 trainees, comprising college students, primary school students and adults. It held 199 rounds of cultural activities for 10,382 people in the same year.

During the past years, the Confucius Institute has done its utmost to integrate with the University of Central Lancashire and the local society whilst maintaining its unique features. For instance, it has opened an online course on Chinese taichi martial arts to help residents better cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Confucius Institute was awarded a special honor by the mayor of Preston in 2021 for its special contributions in the prevention and control of the pandemic.

Since its establishment, the Confucius Institute has made great strides in the improvement of the quality of its Chinese teaching, enrolled a rising number of students, and adopted a wide range of activities to promote traditional Chinese culture and expand its influence among local people.

Right now, some elementary and secondary schools in Preston have added the Chinese language to their curricular arrangements, winning lots of attention from students and parents.