GDUFS News - On October 19th, the 60th Anniversary Development Conference of the Faculty of English Language and Culture (FELC) and the "Deans’ Talks" Themed Interview were held in the Lecture Hall of Teaching Building No. 6 at the Baiyunshan Campus. Professor Liu Jianda, Vice President of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies (GDUFS), former deans of FELC since its official naming in 1997, retired faculty and staff, representatives of former faculty and staff, alumni representatives, and all current faculty and staff of FELC gathered together to review the 60-year development journey and look forward to the future of foreign language education.
Scene of the Conference
Liu Jianda delivered a speech on behalf of the university, extending congratulations to all teachers, students, staff, and alumni of FELC across generations. He pointed out that, as one of the oldest departments with the most profound academic heritage at GDUFS, FELC has always served national strategies and the times' development needs. He affirmed FELC’s achievements in building an integrated talent cultivation system across undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs, in promoting the standardization reform of the National College Entrance English Examination, and in developing the discipline of Foreign Linguistics and Applied Linguistics. He also put forward four hopes for FELC’s future development: adhering to the correct direction of running the faculty and strengthening the leadership of the Party; implementing the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education and cultivating talent urgently needed for national strategies; optimizing the disciplinary structure and advancing the construction of interdisciplinary innovation platforms; and serving national strategies to contribute to the building of China’s independent knowledge system.
Liu Jianda Delivering a Speech
Ji Bin, Secretary of the Party Committee of FELC, presided over the conference. He noted that FELC’s achievements could not have been possible without the leadership of the university’s Party Committee, the efforts of successive leading teams, the unity and hard work of all faculty, staff, and students, and the care and support of alumni at home and abroad. He read out the congratulatory messages by Shi Youqi, Secretary of GDUFS’ Party Committee, and Yan Xiangbin, President of GDUFS. He conveyed greetings from the School of Foreign Languages of 45 sister universities, including Peking University and Tsinghua University. He emphasized that FELC’s profound heritage was jointly built by the older generations of faculty, staff, and students, and that the younger generations must continue to strive to inherit the spirit of diligence in learning, a strong ability to think, and the courage to be pioneers.
Ji Bin Presiding Over the Conference
Wu Zhuang, Vice Dean (Executive Dean) of FELC , delivered a speech on behalf of the faculty. He reviewed FELC’s 60-year journey from its founding to upholding traditions while pursuing innovation. Wu Zhuang pointed out that FELC has always been committed to cultivating high-end foreign-language talent and promoting cultural exchanges between China and the Outside World, and has made pioneering achievements in disciplinary construction and examination reforms. In recent years, FELC has actively promoted the construction of "New Liberal Arts," facilitated the integration of linguistics, literature, and cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, and built a "trinity" cultivation model, providing numerous outstanding talents with a sense of national responsibility and global vision for the country. Looking ahead, Wu Zhuang stated that FELC will firmly uphold educational confidence, adhere to characteristic development, and build itself into a highland of foreign language and literature disciplines rooted in South China, impacting the whole country, and facing the world. It will shoulder the era's mission of telling Chinese stories well and promoting the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.
Wu Zhuang Delivering a Speech
Xu Zemin, an alumnus of the 1972 cohort, extended congratulations to his alma mater and its teachers and students on behalf of alumni worldwide, and paid tribute to the successive leaders and teachers who have contributed to the faculty’s development. He reviewed its journey, starting with the English Department of Guangzhou Institute of Foreign Languages in 1965, and shared campus memories such as morning reading in the birch woods, playing on the sports field, and studying at night in the classroom, describing them as "the most precious memory of life." He expressed confidence that FELC will remain true to its original aspiration to foster virtue through education and explore the path of "New Liberal Arts" construction. He promised that alumni around the world will continue to care about their alma mater and support its development.
Xu Zemin Delivering a Speech
Li Keman, a postgraduate student of Foreign Linguistics and Applied Linguistics from the 2024 cohort, spoke as a student representative. She shared her six-year bond with FELC and stated that the younger generation of FELC students will take language as a bridge and culture as a boat to contribute their youth and strength on a broader stage.
Li Keman Speaking
Xiang Xin, an alumna of the 1991 cohort, delivered remarks and gave her calligraphy work to the faculty, on which the university motto was written, to express her deep affection for the faculty. This year marks the 30th anniversary of her and her husband’s graduation from the faculty. She recalled her youthful days on campus and said she felt warm when she met her teachers and classmates. She mentioned that she had collaborated with her alma mater many times after starting work—for example, FELC once visited the Guangdong Writers’ Association for exchanges, during which the two sides discussed topics such as literature, technology empowerment, and the "going global" of works. She quoted a famous saying by W.B. Yeats to praise the educational value of FELC and wished that it would nurture numerous talents and continue to thrive.
Xiang Xin Presenting the Written University Motto to Her Alma Mater
The "Deans’ Talks" Themed Interview invited six former deans of FELC since 1995 to gather on the stage. In a warm and relaxing atmosphere, they reviewed the 30-year development journey of the faculty.
Scene of the "Deans’ Talks" Themed Interview
The deans reviewed FELC’s 60-year development process. They emphasized the perseverance in "self-improvement," the courage to "be pioneers," the tolerance for "inclusiveness," and the original aspiration to "foster virtue through education."
"Deans’ Talks of FELC" (From Left to Right: Wu Zhuang, Fang Jianzhuang, Mao Sihui, Zhong Weihe, Liu Yan, Wen Binli, Zhang Xin)
At the "Passing the Torch" flower-giving ceremony, student representatives presented flowers to representatives of senior teachers and alumni. The intergenerational inheritance of the spirit was witnessed amidst applause.
Student Representatives Presenting Flowers to Alumni Representatives of the 1965 and 1970 Cohorts
Student Representatives Presenting Flowers to Senior Teacher Representatives
Group Photo of Participants
The 60 years of FELC at GDUFS are a microcosm of the development of foreign language education in China. Taking this anniversary as an opportunity, FELC will achieve new leaps in serving national strategies and promoting the exchange and mutual learning of Chinese and foreign civilizations, inspiring the latest generation of FELC members to continue their efforts and write a new chapter of glory.
Bao Shenggeng, Director of the Party Committee Office (President’s Office) and Director of the University Anniversary Office, and Liu Qingdan, Director of the Alumni Affairs and Cooperation Development Office, attended the event.
Additional News - On the afternoon of October 19th, the General Election Meeting for the 3rd Council of the FELC Alumni Association was held in Room 223 of Teaching Building No. 1 at the Baiyunshan Campus. Huang Xiujuan, Member of the Standing Committee of the GDUFS Party Committee and Director of the Organization Department, Ji Bin, Secretary of the Party Committee of FELC, Liu Qingdan, Director of the Alumni Affairs and Cooperation Development Office, members of the 2nd Council of the FELC Alumni Association, and candidates for the 3rd Council attended the meeting. The meeting was presided over by Wu Zhuang, Vice Dean (Executive Dean) of FELC .
At the meeting, Huang Xiujuan put forward three hopes for the Alumni Association: to inherit the FELC spirit, tell alumni stories well, and support the faculty’s efforts to become a first-class institution. Ji Bin delivered a report on behalf of the 2nd Council. The meeting reviewed and approved the list of candidates for the 3rd Council and the revised draft of the Alumni Association Charter. Liu Qingdan presented the association flag to the FELC Alumni Association and issued appointment certificates to the new Council's leaders.
Ma Ying, Executive President of the new Council, and Guan Minfa, Secretary-General, spoke on behalf of the Council. They stated that they will continue to inherit the striving character and innovative spirit of "FELCers" and contribute to the building of the "FELC Home."
