Professor Hong Gang delivered an academic lecture titled “Strengthening the Foundation and Embracing Challenges: Reflections on English Program in the New Era” on November 14 at the invitation of the School of Foreign Languages. Professor Hong is a member of National Foreign Languages Teaching Advisory Board under the Ministry of Education, Vice Chairman of the National Advisory Committee on Teaching English Language to Majors in Higher Education, Vice President of the China Translators Association, and an expert in the Ministry of Education’s “National Training Program.”

Professor Hong delivers a lecture

The lecture explored how English programs can develop innovatively, distinctively, and with high quality, to address new challenges in education and society, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. Professor Hong reviewed the evolution of foreign language talent training in China, including courses from the Qing Dynasty’s Tongwen Guan to curriculum at universities during the Republic of China and the post-reform era. He emphasized the “Strengthening the Foundation” strategy for English programs. The field’s foundation lies in English language competence, encompassing listening, speaking, reading, writing, and translation, alongside robust knowledge in linguistics, literature, regional studies, and related fields. English programs should maintain strong foundations while embracing innovation to cultivate globally competent talents who can meet the needs of the modern era.

The lecture concluded with an interactive session where Professor Hong addressed questions on the development of English programs. This session provided critical guidance for the future academic progress of the School of Foreign Languages.