GDUFS News - On October 25th, the GDUFS-UoL 20th anniversary of the MA TESOL Program was celebrated at GDUFS’ Baiyunshan Campus. The event was co-hosted by the Faculty of English Language and Culture (FELC) of GDUFS and the School of Education of the University of Leeds (UoL). Professor Shen Minghao, Vice President of GDUFS, delivered a video speech to the event. Nearly 100 attendees were present, including Professor Zhang Xin, Dean of the Graduate School; Ji Bin, Secretary of the Party Committee of FELC; Professor Wu Zhuang, Vice Dean (Executive Dean) of FELC; Professor Vanessa Kind, Dean of the School of Education of UoL; representatives of faculty from both sides, and program alumni. The event was hosted by Professor Liu Humin, Vice Dean of FELC.
Group Photo
On behalf of GDUFS, Shen Minghao extended his sincerest respect and most heartfelt gratitude to the pioneers of the program, especially to its two founders, Dr. Martin Wedell and Professor Zou Qiming, as well as to Dr. Martin Lamb, Dr. Wang Yunfeng, and all faculty members who have contributed to the program’s development. He pointed out that this cross-ocean educational cooperation has now borne abundant fruits. The 20-year partnership has blazed a path of exploration, characterised by complementary strengths and the pursuit of excellence, as well as a path of dedication focused on nurturing talent and passing on the legacy of excellence. He looks forward to a higher-level cooperation between the two universities to create a broader platform for nurturing more outstanding global talents.
Speech by Professor Shen Minghao
In her video speech, Professor Shearer West CBE, Vice-Chancellor and President of UoL, noted that the program's success is inseparable from the dedicated efforts of the founders and teams on both sides, as well as the joint commitment to the cause of English-language education. She paid tribute to and thanked all faculty members from both sides who have positively contributed to the program over the years. She noted that in 2003, the two universities launched the cooperation on the MA TESOL Program, driven by their shared pursuit of excellence in education. This event is not only a summary and review of the program's fruitful achievements over the past two decades but also a sincere recognition of the program’s management team, faculty members, and alumni. She hoped that the cooperative bond between the two universities will remain strong and thrive.
Speech by Professor Shearer West CBE
During the conference’s sharing session, the founders, program directors, and distinguished alumni representatives from both universities delivered fascinating and vivid talks on the program’s background, development process, and achievements. Professor Vanessa Kind, Dean of the School of Education at UoL, drawing on her experience in language acquisition, highlighted the program's ongoing operation and advancement, emphasizing that it is the result of sincere cooperation between the two universities and expressing hope for further expansion and deeper collaboration in the future. Professor Wu Zhuang, Vice Dean (Executive Dean) of FELC, highlighted the program’s remarkable achievements in cultivating talent in English education since its inception. Thanks to the joint efforts of both sides, he added, the program has become a well-known model of educational cooperation in China. Dr. Martin Wedell reviewed the key milestones and landmark events since the program's development and shared precious memories of the joint efforts of both sides. Professor Zou Qiming expressed his gratitude to all faculty members and staff who have supported the program's development and operation, noting that its successful 20-year journey would not have been possible without the strong support from both universities and friends from all walks of life. Dr. Zhang Ronggan, a distinguished alumnus of the program, first extended warm congratulations on the program's 20th anniversary. He then recalled his learning experience in the program and shared how it had laid a solid foundation and provided impetus for his career development. He also expressed his commitment to teaching in the future, nurturing more talent for society with solid academic knowledge and a passion for education.
Sharing Session
After the main event, a graduation ceremony was held for Cohort 2023, presided over by Professor Li Chengtuan, Vice Dean of FELC.
Graduation Ceremony for Cohort 2023
In the afternoon, to further promote the integrated development of English education across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels, a symposium was held as part of the event. Nearly 100 attendees were present, including experts and scholars from GDUFS and UoL, as well as principals, English-teaching researchers, and frontline English teachers from primary and secondary schools across various regions.
Group Photo of Participants for the Symposium on the Reform and Development of English Education across Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Levels in the New Era
