The Foundation Ceremony of Foreign Languages Disciplinary Development Advisory Committee and the Appointment Ceremony of Honorary Professors of Shenzhen University was held in conference room 1200 of Huiwen Building at 9:00 a.m. on November 24th. Three distinguished professors were appointed as honorary professors by Shenzhen University. They are: senior professor of Liberal Arts in Zhejiang University, honorary professor of the Yangtze River Scholar Program of the Ministry of Education, leader of Foreign Language and Literature Discipline Appraisal Group of the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council, executive vice-president of the National Level Academic Institute, Translators Association of China, Professor Xu Jun; senior professor of Liberal Arts and dean of the Faculty of Humanities in Shanghai Jiaotong University, honorary professor of the Yangtze River Scholar Program of the Ministry of Education, foreign academician of the Academy of Europe, chairman of Chinese Comparative Literature Association, Professor Wang Ning; former principal of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, member of the National Special Support Program for High-level Talents, executive vice-president of the National Level Academic Institute, Translators Association of China, Professor Zhong Weihe. The appointment letters were presented by Principal Li Qingquan. The ceremony was chaired by dean of the School of Foreign Languages, Professor Zhang Xiaohong. Secretary of the Party Committee, Qiu Jiangping, Deputy Dean, Professor Hu Yijie and Professor Li Xiaojun, Associate Dean, Jia Luyi and Jin Nana, full-time distinguish professor Tan Zaixi, Cai Xin Le, Jeroen Van de Weijer, and other members attended the ceremony.
(Professor LI Qingquan, President of Shenzhen University)
(Prof. QIU Jiangping (Professor ZHANG Xiaohong
School Secretary of Party Committee) Dean of School of Foreign Languages)
President Li Qinquan showed appreciation to the three professors for joining the university to help the development of foreign language disciplines. He also mentioned that in the coming ten years, as the demonstration pilot zone for socialism with Chinese characteristics, Shenzhen would be faced with unprecedented challenges and opportunities. Under such background, Shenzhen University would also have more opportunities for development. The principal believed that the education for professionals in foreign languages should meet the demands of the development of this city, and the development of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. In his eyes, education in foreign languages is essential not only for students who major in foreign languages but for all students, even those of science and engineering. He appealed that we should consider how to change the approaches for foreign languages teaching so as to benefit all students with a more efficient way to learn and allow them to be more competent in the global competition.
(From left to right: Prof. ZHONG Weihe, Prof. WANG Ning, President LI Qingquan, Prof. XU Jun and SFL Dean ZHANG Xiaohong)
Professor Xu Jun expressed his recognition for the importance Shenzhen University attached to the development of foreign languages discipline as a comprehensive university. And he believed that with Shenzhen’s new role as the demonstration pilot zone for socialism with Chinese characteristics and with the city’s progress of internationalization, the development of disciplines of foreign languages would undoubtedly blossom. He pointed out that, the heritage of Chinese culture, cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries, the launch of major translation projects of the National Social Science Foundation, all of these suggested foreign languages disciplines play a vital role in the implementation of the “One Belt and One Road” initiative and the great cause of building a community with shared future for mankind. He also suggested that, as for universities, we should keep the door for cooperation open to claim the academic high ground both internationally and domestically; and as for leading scholars, not only should they play a leading role, but also they should devote themselves to cultivate the younger generation, form academic groups for the development of the disciplines of foreign languages.
(Prof. XU Jun, Appointment Ceremony of Honorary Professor of Shenzhen University)
“Great platform comes with great scholars”, said Professor Wang Ning who also mentioned his deep academic connections with Shenzhen University. On behalf of Chinese Comparative Literature Association, he expressed his appreciation to Shenzhen University and fully recognized its historical contribution to the development of comparative literature in China. He recalled that the International Comparative Literature Summit Forum (Shenzhen) and the 22nd Congress of the International Comparative Literature Association (Macao), which were jointly hosed by Shenzhen University, attracted the attention of more than 50 mainstream media in China, and was highly recognized by the Department of Humanities and Social Exchanges of the Ministry of Education. He also congratulated Professor Zhang Xiaohong, an outstanding scholar from Shenzhen University, for being elected as the executive committee member of the International Comparative Literature Association (the only executive committee member in the Chinese-speaking regions). Professor Wang Ning also pointed out that internationalization is the only way for foreign languages to gain more advantages.
(Prof. WANG Ning, Appointment Ceremony of Honorary Professor of Shenzhen University)
Professor Zhong Weihe emphasized that, in terms of layout strategy, horizontally, disciplines of foreign language should focus on the development of these five directions: foreign literature, foreign linguistic and applied linguistic, translation, comparative literature and cross-cultural research, national and regional study; vertically, it’s important to think highly of the fundamental role of undergraduate education because only with a solid foundation can we continuously provide energy to the point of the pyramid where the masters and doctors. In the meanwhile, we should attach great importance to the development of minor languages and to train more competent multilingual professionals for this international city.
(Prof. ZHONG Weihe, Appointment Ceremony of Honorary Professor of Shenzhen University)
The School of Foreign Languages
November 25th, 2019
