Teaching Affairs

The intense courses and bustling final exams of school have come to an end. Following the principle of “Unity of Knowledge and Action, Diligence Leads to Success”, the SFL concluded the last major event of this semester—the Inaugural Undergraduate Area Studies Forum and English Department Practical Week Event, aiming to promote students’ ability to practice through knowledge and deepen their understanding of knowledge through action. This semester's practice week focuses on the theme of regional area studies, aiming to help students understand the crucial role of such studies in producing knowledge for the world in the new era. It emphasizes the importance of promoting and sharing Chinese cultural values with distinctive Chinese characteristics abroad. While enhancing academic cognition and research exploration, it also aims to cultivate students' confidence and responsibility in enabling the world to understand China better.

During the week of January 8th to 12th, 2024, students from various grades collaborated enthusiastically to organize a diverse range of activities. These included academic research lectures, updates on industry trends, sharing sessions on disciplinary competitions, guided readings of classic book series, writing workshops for papers, area studies forums, and a showcase of national costumes followed by an award ceremony.

English department foreign teacher Robin, drawing from his rich experience in bilingual translation between Chinese and English, delivered insightful perspectives on the topic "Translating Shaanxi Literature, Introducing China to the World." He discussed how translating Shaanxi literature can deepen and solidify its dissemination abroad, proposing effective translation strategies accordingly. Cynthia and Eli, each focusing on "The Spread and Reception of Chinese Culture in Australia" and "Cultural Challenges Foreigners Encounter Coming to China" respectively, elucidated the interaction between Chinese culture and those of various nations in the context of globalization. They emphasized that the essence of cultural exchange lies in mutual learning and sharing, fostering mutual enrichment.

Furthermore, to break down disciplinary barriers and reinforce the new humanities development concept of integrating interdisciplinary knowledge, the school invited two distinguished guests to present a unique academic feast for students and faculty. One was Associate Professor Xie Zhibin from the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies. Focusing on the theme of “Translation, Acceptance and Dissemination of Ancient Chinese Buddhist Scriptures”, Professor Xie use abundant explanations and extensive historical evidence to reveal the contemporary significance of translating Chinese Buddhist scriptures to the students. The other guest was Mr. Wang Xiaochen, General Manager of Xi'an Tibo Crop Science Co., Ltd. Through sharing his entrepreneurial journey, Mr. Wang encouraged students to continuously improve their cross-cultural communication abilities and bravely pursue their career dreams in a diverse social environment. His career planning advice resonated strongly among the students.

At the recognition ceremony during the practical week, Professor Cao Ruonan, Dean of the School of Foreign Languages, delivered a speech. Dean Cao elaborated on the significance and importance of Area Studies and outlined diverse possibilities for students' future learning and development, which ignited their interest and enthusiasm for regional country studies. With the guidance of Dean Cao and all the teachers, it is believed that the school will pioneer an innovative path in cultivating talents in area studies.

With this, Inaugural Undergraduate Area Studies Forum & English Department Practical Week Event at the School of Foreign Languages at Northwest University came to a successful conclusion. It is believed that this participatory academic research experience will help students cultivate academic growth points, enhance research interests, understand basic research paradigms, and academic integrity, contributing to the connotative development of our school.