The 2024 Global English Education China Assembly, themed “Promoting quality global English education in the AI era,” inaugurated yesterday in Zhuhai. This year’s assembly was jointly hosted by China Daily, Beijing Normal University, and Shanghai International Studies University, and co-organized by China Daily 21st Century English Education Media and City University of Macau (CityU). The Association for Comparative Studies of English and Chinese, the National Association of Foreign Language Education China Education Society, The International Research Foundation for English Language Education , ETS China, and the British Council served as academic supervisors. The assembly aimed to promote dialogue and cooperation between China and the world in the field of English education, providing a high-level, international, and professional platform for learning and exchange for global educators. It sought to advance the development of a leading country in education through educational cooperation and promote mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations through cultural exchange. Prof. Jun Liu, rector of CityU, was invited to deliver a speech at the opening ceremony.

Officials and leaders attended the opening ceremony. They included Wang Hao, deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily; Zhou Li, deputy director of the Ministry of Education’s Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges; Chao Guiming, standing committee member of Zhuhai Municipal Party Committee and vice mayor of Zhuhai; Wei Wei, deputy party secretary of Beijing Normal University and party secretary of Zhuhai Campus; Zhang Jing, vice president of the Shanghai International Studies University; and Aleksandra Popovski Golubovikj, president of the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL).   Zeng Qingkai, editor-in-chief of China Daily 21st Century English Education Media, presided over the opening ceremony.

Rector Jun Liu, in his speech, congratulated the organizers on the successful hosting of this year's assembly and highlighted about the grand scale of last year’s event held in Macao. He expressed his great honor in continuing the partnership with China Daily, Shanghai International Studies University, and Beijing Normal University to jointly build an interactive and inspiring academic platform. Rector Liu discussed the undergoing global transformation in English education under the development of artificial intelligence (AI) , including the rise of AI technology and its significant impact on English teaching. He emphasized that  these pressing factors could drive the continuous improvement of the English teachers. He emphasized the crucial role of English education in fostering global communication and cultural understanding, highlighting the new possibilities AI brought to personalized learning, innovative teaching methods, and language proficiency development. This assembly provided a unique opportunity for thought-provoking discussions with esteemed scholars, delving into the transformative power of English education and contributing ideas and suggestions for breakthroughs in English teaching. Through collaborative efforts and unwavering pursuit, the assembly believed that the scholars could create a more diverse, inclusive, and efficient English learning environment for students worldwide. This would further promote cross-cultural exchange and mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations, cultivating a younger generation with a strong professional foundation, diverse cultural awareness, and language skills, enabling them to promote China’s narratives effectively.

Wang Hao, deputy editor-in-chief, emphasized that the 2024 Global English Education China Assembly represented a significant step taken by China Daily and its partners to implement the key decisions of the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, highlighting that the initiative aimed to expand education’s openness to the outside world and promote global education development and innovation. He recounted the assembly’s seven-year journey through three stories, expressing his hope that the assembly would bring together more language, education, and cultural organizations and scholars worldwide to make greater contributions to building a community with a shared future for mankind; promote high-quality and equitable development of compulsory education, striving for educational fairness; and provide a development platform for young scholars, enabling them to better leverage the crucial role of young foreign language professionals in China’s modernization drive and cross-cultural exchanges.

Deputy Director Zhou Li, in her speech, highlighted that the rapid advancements in technology, industry, and knowledge innovation had brought new opportunities and challenges to education. She offered three suggestions for strengthening foreign language education: 1. Deepen global cooperation and build a global digital education community; 2. Strengthen the foundation of education and cultivate a high-quality team of foreign language teachers. 3. Uphold openness and inclusiveness, promoting mutual learning of civilizations through language education. Deputy Director Zhou expressed her hope that foreign language education would adapt to the changing tides of the digital age in education, exploring a versatile and high-end talent cultivation model, enabling China to better engage with the world and the world to better understand China.

Deputy Mayor Chao Guiming emphasized the crucial component of foreign language education in building a leading nation in education and a key foundation for constructing a new era of external discourse and promote China's narratives. He highlighted that hosting the International English Education China Assembly in Zhuhai presented a valuable opportunity for the city to showcase its vibrancy and charm. Deputy Mayor Chao expressed interest in engaging in deeper and more diverse collaborations with China Daily, Beijing Normal University, Shanghai International Studies University, CityU, and other institutions, aiming to accelerate the modernization of foreign language education and contribute Zhuhai’s educational strength to advancing China's modernization drive.

Secretary Wei Wei expressed that foreign language education should play a crucial role in the strategic blueprint and strategic communication for national development. She highlighted that foreign language education should actively respond and adapt in the context of rapid AI development to continuously improve the quality of talent cultivation. Secretary Wei shared the outstanding achievements of her university in pioneering theories and practices in foreign language education and teacher education, including curriculum standards and teaching materials. She emphasized that Beijing Normal University would further strengthen its collaboration with China Daily, jointly promoting China’s education to the world, enhancing the influence and dissemination of Chinese civilization, and contributing to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Vice President Zhang Jing stated that the rapid development of the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, coupled with the profound impact of generative AI, is significantly affecting foreign language education. She emphasized that proactive transformation and digital empowerment in foreign language education would promote a two-way interaction between foreign language education and AI, which would expedite the cultivation of versatile foreign language professionals who could thrive in the digital age. She encouraged educators to explore cutting-edge issues in English education, share teaching experiences and innovative achievements, and foster mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations through academic and cultural exchanges.

President Golubovikj highlighted the role of language in facilitating mutual understanding and creating opportunities for cooperation. Through the signing of the memorandum of cooperation with the 21st Century English Education Media, she said the partnership would lay the groundwork for shared efforts in strengthening the community for global educators and learners, ultimately impacting the world through language.

This assembly features eight keynote speeches and 35 parallel sessions, covering topics such as AI-powered foreign language education, highly-cited researchers forum, and cultural education dialogues. Over the next three days, experts and scholars, as well as English teachers from over 20 countries and regions, will delve into 16 sub-topics, including foreign language education in the AI era, the integrated development of foreign language education and international communication, language assessment and testing, and more.

The Global English Education China Assembly was established in 2018. Over the past seven years, the assembly has witnessed the remarkable progress of China’s English education, the flourishing of English education exchanges in China and elsewhere, and the unwavering passion and pursuit of countless English teachers in advancing English education. The assembly will continue to foster consensus, deepen English education exchanges and cooperation, and contribute to the advancement of China’s educational modernization.

Source: China Daily