Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) held a meeting on introductory oral textbooks of less commonly taught languages on March 13.

Sun Youzhong, a member of the standing committee of the CPC BFSU committee and vice-president of the university, was present at the meeting.

The meeting was presided over by Zhang Wenchao, director of the Teaching Materials Department at BFSU, and attended by online and onsite participants.

BFSU holds a meeting on introductory oral textbooks of less commonly taught languages on March 13. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

To build a language and culture teaching resource database to serve the Belt and Road Initiative, BFSU commenced the introductory oral textbooks project for less commonly taught languages in January 2022. Textbooks in 15 languages among the first phase of the project have been published recently after more than one year of hard work.

Sun congratulated attendees on the publication of the first batch of textbooks and put forward requirements and expectations for work in the next phase.

He underscored the significance of the textbooks and urged high quality and efficiency in their compilation and publication.

Sun encouraged editors to enhance their sense of mission, serve the BRI and people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries, and provide rare books to the World Language Museum.

Sticking to innovation and promoting the quality of textbook compilation through continuous research are conducive to filling the gaps in self-compiled textbooks of less commonly taught languages, Sun said.

He also highlighted the role played by teaching material experts and foreign teachers in enhancing the practicality, accuracy, humanity and readability of the books and said the project should be carried out on schedule.

Textbooks of 15 less commonly taught languages. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

Zeng Qiong, editor-in-chief of the Bengali language textbook, and Wang Yiran, editor-in-chief of the Lithuanian language textbook, shared their experiences in textbook localization, content arrangement and collaborations with Chinese and foreign editors.

BFSU holds a meeting on introductory oral textbooks of less commonly taught languages on March 13. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

The project mainly targets 60 less commonly taught languages with deficiency in self-compiled teaching materials, and has been conducted in three phases. It is designated as a major landmark project in BFSU’s construction of a first-class university and disciplines of the world.

BFSU has provided funding to the project and established a professional team composed of 16 experts and an editorial and review team of 28 editors to explore the combination of traditional and new forms of textbooks.

In addition to the 15 recently-released textbooks, eight books of other less commonly taught languages are under review and prepared for publication soon, while the remaining eight in the first phase will come out at the end of August.

The second phase of 19 textbooks and the third phase of 10 textbooks started preparation in 2022 and will be issued by the end of this year.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the BRI and BFSU will achieve full coverage of self-compiled teaching materials for the 101 languages taught by the university, according to meeting participants.