The 17th Cross-strait Conference on Foreign Language Teaching and Learning was held online from Oct 28 to 29. 

Over 40 scholars and experts from Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU), Shanghai International Studies University (SISU), Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages (WZU) and Fu Jen Catholic University (FJCU) attended the conference. 

The 17th Cross-strait Conference on Foreign Language Teaching and Learning was held online from Oct 28 to 29. [Photo provided to bfsu.edu.cn]

Sun Youzhong, a member of the standing committee of the CPC BFSU committee and vice-president of the university, Dr. Margaret Mei-hua Chen, president of WZU, Chi-wen Liu, dean of the College of Foreign Languages at FJCU, and Zhang Jing, vice-president of SISU, delivered keynote speeches at the president forum. 

They explained their education philosophies and school characteristics, and exchanged views on artificial intelligence and foreign language teaching strategies.

Representatives from BFSU, SISU, WZU and FJCU attend the 17th Cross-strait Conference on Foreign Language Teaching and Learning. [Photo provided to bfsu.edu.cn]

The sub-forum included three parallel forums on the topics of “establishment of interdisciplinary foreign language education mechanism (including curriculum, curricula group and program) and its results”, “key points of foreign language talent cultivation in the AI era” and “foreign language teaching and social responsibilities of universities”. Scholars and experts expounded on their teaching experiences and research results, and delivered 32 keynote speeches.

At the closing ceremony, Sun called on scholars to make contributions to studies on foreign language education. Zhang invited professionals to gather together at SISU next year on behalf of the organizer of the 18th Cross-strait Conference on Foreign Language Teaching and Learning.

The conference was hosted by WZU and supported by the Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan Affairs Office at BFSU. 

Scholars from the Faculty of French and Francophone Studies, the School of European Languages and Cultures, the School of Asian Studies, the School of German Studies, the Law School, the Graduate School of Translation and Interpretation, the School of English for Specific Purposes and the Information Technology Center at BFSU, and representatives from Unipus attended the conference.