High-Level Academic Forum on Foreign Language Disciplines, hosted by NingboTech University and organized by the School of International Studies, the Polish Studies Center, a national and regional research center under the Ministry of Education, and the Center for Creative Transformation and Popularization of Yangming Culture, came to a successful end on May 22. Experts, scholars, teachers and students from 36 Chinese colleges and universities attended.

HU Zhengyu, secretary of the Communist Party Committee of NingboTech, persons in charge of the International Affairs Office, officials of the School of International Studies, and teacher representatives attended the forum in-person while 1,700 attendees watched the opening ceremony via video link. Prof. WANG Wenbin at Beijing Foreign Studies University, Prof. GUO Yingjian at Renmin University of China, Prof. YANG Feng at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Prof. CAI Jigang at Fudan University, and Prof. LEI Lei at Shanghai Jiao Tong University delivered keynote speeches. Attendees from universities including Zhejiang University and Dalian University of Foreign Languages had an in-depth exchange of views during the two-day event. Prof. HU Jie, dean of the School of International Studies and director of the Polish Studies Center, presided over the opening ceremony.

In his welcoming speech delivered on behalf of the university, HU Zhengyu gave a brief introduction to the university, the School and the Polish Studies Center, and extended a warm welcome to all the attendees present. He noted that foreign language disciplines are promising since they serve the country's most fundamental interests and can help create a community with a shared future for mankind as nationwide efforts are being made to implement General Secretary XI Jinping's strategy on developing a quality workforce in the new era. Dean HU Jie briefed the attendees on the background against which the forum was held, its significance and five keynote speakers.

The two-day forum, with a focus on frontier issues in foreign language studies, aims to explore appropriate ways of discipline development and reform. Five speakers elaborated on international communication, national identity, development strategy, discipline reform, and cross-disciplinary integration.

During the spirited discussions, attendees shared their thoughts and pool their wisdom. The forum is expected to inject new impetus to the development of foreign language disciplines and deepen ties between NingboTech and other universities.