From November 21 to 23, the 5th Annual Conference of the Committee for Institutes of Technology, China University Alliance for the Development of Foreign Language and Literature Discipline and the Deans’ Forum was grandly held in Hefei. The event was jointly organized by the Committee for Institutes of Technology of the Alliance and the School of Foreign Languages of Hefei University of Technology, bringing together more than 80 deans and department heads from over 60 engineering-oriented universities across China. Professor Sun Yu, Dean of our School, was invited to attend the forum and delivered a keynote speech entitled “Exploration and Practice of Foreign Language Discipline Development in the Era of Artificial Intelligence,” engaging with peers on new pathways for foreign language discipline construction and development.

At the opening ceremony, Professor Ding Lijian, Vice President of Hefei University of Technology, Professor Wang Xuemei, Deputy Secretary-General of the China University Alliance for the Development of Foreign Language and Literature Discipline, and Professor Shang Biwu, Director of the Committee for Institutes of Technology, delivered opening remarks. During the keynote session, renowned scholars including Professor Wu Di from Zhejiang University, Professor Peng Qinglong from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Professor Mo Zaishu from Hunan University, Professor Li Jinglian from Beijing Institute of Technology, Professor Chen Hongjun from Dalian University of Technology, Professor Wen Bing from Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, and Professor Zhang Jin from Jilin University shared their latest research findings and practical experiences.

In her keynote address, Professor Sun Yu elaborated on the value of foreign language disciplines, talent cultivation objectives, and development exploration and practice in the context of the artificial intelligence era, presenting the “NPU approach” to the transformation and development of foreign language disciplines. She emphasized that, under the guidance of the university’s goal of cultivating “chief engineer–type” talents, the development of foreign language disciplines in the AI era should adhere to the principle of “strengthening the humanistic foundation of foreign language discipline while creating new models empowered by advanced technology.” By leveraging the university’s strengths and platforms, the discipline aims to “instill a humanistic spirit and empower development through technology, promoting disciplinary transformation” and cultivating interdisciplinary foreign language talents with strong technological literacy, humanistic competence, and cross-disciplinary capabilities, so as to better serve national strategies and social development.

Two parallel sub-forums were held with the participation of deans, where participants conducted comprehensive and in-depth discussions on key topics such as the transformation and development of foreign language disciplines in the AI era, innovation in interdisciplinary talent cultivation models, the construction of “AI + Foreign Language” curriculum systems, and language laboratory development. These exchanges generated valuable insights and fostered lively academic interaction.

Established in September 2018, the Committee for Institutes of Technology, China University Alliance for the Development of Foreign Language and Literature Discipline is the first specialized committee under the Alliance. Its members include over 100 leading engineering-oriented universities nationwide, such as Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Beihang University, Harbin Institute of Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and Xi’an Jiaotong University, making it a key platform for promoting coordinated development of foreign language disciplines in universities of technology.

Our university’s first appearance at the committee’s annual conference and deans’ forum not only reflects the academic community’s high recognition of our achievements in foreign language discipline development, but also highlights NPU’s sense of responsibility and commitment to exploring disciplinary transformation and innovating talent cultivation models in the era of artificial intelligence. Through deepening comprehensive inter-university cooperation and exchanges, the university will continue to enhance the connotation of foreign language discipline development, the quality of talent cultivation, and research innovation capacity, injecting sustained momentum into the high-quality and connotative development of foreign language disciplines.