The 2024 Global English Education China Assembly, themed "Cultural Exchange and Mutual Learning: Promoting High-Quality Global Foreign Language Education in the AI Era", opened in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, on July 26.
The conference was jointly organized by China Daily, Beijing Normal University, and Shanghai International Studies University, with input from 21st Century English Education and the City University of Macau, and academic guidance from the China Association for Comparative Studies of English and Chinese, the National Association of Foreign Language Education, the Chinese Society of Education, and the International Research Foundation for English Language Education, ETS China and the British Council.
The aim of the assembly is to promote communication and cooperation between China and the world in the field of English language education, providing a high-level, international, and professional platform for learning and exchange for Chinese and foreign English language educators. It seeks to develop a strong educational nation through international educational cooperation and to foster mutual learning among civilizations through cultural exchange.
Wang Hao, deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily; Zhou Li, deputy director-general of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges at the Ministry of Education; Chao Guiming, a member of the Standing Committee of the Zhuhai Municipal Party Committee and vice-mayor; Wei Wei, deputy secretary of the CPC Beijing Normal University Committee and secretary of the CPC Beijing Normal University Zhuhai Campus Committee; Zhang Jing, vice-president of Shanghai International Studies University; Liu Jun, president of City University of Macau; and Alex Popovski-Golubovikj, chairman of the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language, all attended the opening ceremony. Zeng Qingkai, editor-in-chief of 21st Century English Education Media, hosted the ceremony.
Wang Hao emphasized the importance of this year’s assembly and explained that it was a joint effort by China Daily and others in implementing the spirit of the 20th CPC Central Committee's third plenary session, expanding educational openness, and promoting global educational development and innovation.
He reviewed the seven-year journey of the assembly and said he wanted to bring together more language, education and cultural organizations and scholars from all over the world to make greater contributions to building a community with a shared future for mankind; promote balanced and high-quality development of compulsory education to strive for educational equity; and provide a platform for young scholars to better utilize their talents in China's modernization and international cultural exchanges.
In her speech, Zhou Li stated that the technological revolution and industrial transformation are accelerating, and knowledge innovation is advancing rapidly, bringing new opportunities and challenges to education. She proposed three forms of action: first, deepen global cooperation to build a global digital education community; second, cultivate a high-level foreign language teacher workforce; third, uphold openness and inclusiveness to promote mutual learning among civilizations through language education.
Zhou added that she hopes China's foreign language education will adapt to the educational transformation trends of the digital age, explore new models for cultivating high-end, versatile talents and help China better engage with the world while enabling the world to better understand China.
Wei Wei said foreign language education should align with the strategic development and communication goals of the nation, actively adapting and responding to the rapid development of artificial intelligence to continuously improve talent cultivation. Beijing Normal University actively leads innovation in foreign language and education theories, achieving significant results in curriculum and textbook development.
Wei Wei added that BNU will further strengthen cooperation with China Daily to tell China's educational stories to the world, enhance the dissemination and influence of Chinese civilization and contribute to building a shared community for humanity.
Also at the opening ceremony, China Daily and BNU officially launched their strategic cooperation agreement on international communication. The two parties will work closely together on areas such as international communication, multimedia platform development and talent cultivation, striving to create a more internationally influential communication platform and contributing to the development of international communication and education.
The partnership aims to leverage both institutions' strengths to enhance BNU's internationalization and attract versatile international professionals. This strategic cooperation marks a new chapter in the collaboration between a leading media outlet and a top educational institution, underscoring the importance of international education and cultural exchange.
In all, the assembly featured 8 keynote speeches and 35 parallel sessions, covering topics such as AI-empowered foreign language education, sessions for highly-cited scholars, and Sino-British cultural and educational discussion. Over three days, experts, scholars and English teachers from more than 20 countries and regions engaged in in-depth discussions on 16 subtopics, including the integration of foreign language education with international communication, and language assessment and testing.
Established in 2018, the Global English Education China Assembly has pioneered the rapid development of English language education in China and the promotion of Sino-English education exchanges.
The assembly will continue to deepen and build consensus regarding Sino-English education exchange and cooperation, contributing to the modernization of China's education.
