On November 12, the Second Postgraduate Academic Forum of the College of Foreign Languages of Nankai University was held. Xue Youzhi, Vice President of Graduate School of Nankai University, Mu Xiangwang, Secretary of the Party Committee of the College of Foreign Languages, and Prof Yan Guodong, Dean of the College of Foreign Languages, attended the opening ceremony of the forum. Professor Xiu Gang from Tianjin Foreign Studies University, Professor Yang Shizhang from Shanghai Foreign Studies University, Professor Sun Yanhong from Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Professor Su Yan from Huazhong Normal University and Professor Lei Lei from Shanghai Foreign Studies University were invited to give keynote speeches at the conference. In addition to the master and doctoral students of our university, more than 270 postgraduates from more than 100 famous universities in China, including Peking University, Beijing Foreign Studies University and Shanghai Foreign Studies University, attended the conference together.
The forum was sponsored by the Graduate Student Association of the College of Foreign Languages of Nankai University, with special support from the Graduate Affairs Office of the CPC. The forum was conducted online and lasted for one day. The opening ceremony and the keynote speech were held in the morning, and the panel discussion and closing ceremony in the afternoon. The forum involved English, Japanese, Russian and other languages and covered several cutting-edge research fields such as foreign linguistics and applied linguistics research, foreign literature research, international and regional studies, comparative literature and cross-cultural studies, and translation studies.
The opening ceremony of the forum was hosted by Professor Li Min, Vice Dean of the College of Foreign Languages, and Professor Xue Youzhi, Vice Dean of the Graduate School, and Professor Yan Guodong, Dean of the College of Foreign Languages, delivered opening speeches. In his speech, Prof. Xue Youzhi mentioned that it is necessary to thoroughly implement the important spirit of “accelerating the building of a strong country in education, science and technology, and talent and adhering to educating people for the Party and the country” as proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping in the Report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. At the same time, he highly affirmed the role of the graduate academic forum held by the College of Foreign Languages in the cultivation of talents. Professor Yan recalled the history and purpose of the Postgraduate Academic Forum of the College of Foreign Languages. He made an objective analysis of the current research situation of foreign language students and proposed to improve the cultivation quality of graduate students in foreign language disciplines. To provide more platforms for exchange and discussion to realize the transformation from students to scholars, he hoped that students could learn from their strengths and complement their weaknesses, clarify their directions and improve their research ability comprehensively through the forum.
Experts from both inside and outside the university delivered wonderful keynote speeches at this forum. Led by Professor Han Lihong, Director of the Japanese Department, Professor Xiu Gang of the Foreign Languages, Literature and Culture Center of Tianjin Foreign Studies University pointed out in the report “Opportunities and Challenges for Foreign Translation -- Taking the Chinese-Japanese Translation as an Example” that with the deepening of the construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics, opportunities and challenges for foreign translation coexist. “Comprehending China and foreign countries” is the key to solve the problem, the important purpose and standard of spreading the voice of China in the new era, and the important responsibility of translation. Led by Professor Wang Lidan, the director of the Russian Department, Professor Yang Shizhang of the Russian Eastern European Central Asian College of Shanghai Foreign Studies University pointed out in the book “The Theoretical Value of Translation Adaptation” that translation adaptation usually exists in translation activities in a hidden way, and has not received enough attention, let alone independent research status. From the perspectives of linguistics, cross-cultural communication and translation value, it can be revealed that translation adaptation is a universal feature of translation, and special research can be carried out at the level of general translation theory. Chaired by Associate Professor Yang Lin, Director of the Italian Department, Professor Sun Yanhong, Director of the European Economic Research Office of Institute of European Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, introduced many new features of the economic and trade relations between China and the EU and its major member countries in recent years through the “Significance and Methods of Regional Country Studies -- Taking China-EU Economic and Trade Relations as an Example”. She pointed out that in addition to observing and analyzing from an economic or trade perspective, it is also necessary to analyze the changes in the economic structure and economic strength of the EU and its major member countries, as well as the changes in attitudes towards China, from a more comprehensive perspective. Regional country studies can provide a more comprehensive and in-depth explanation of the above issues from a multidisciplinary and comprehensive perspective. Led by Professor Zhang Zhizhong, Director of the Department of Translation, Professor Su Yan of the School of Foreign Languages of Central China Normal University briefly reviewed the research related to “national translation” in recent years through the “Discourse of National Consciousness in Ancient Chinese Translation Theory”, and examined the national consciousness of ancient Chinese translation theory from a historical perspective. Led by Professor Li Min, Vice Dean of the College of Foreign Languages, Professor Lei Lei of Shanghai Foreign Studies University introduced “Grammar Change in English: An Exploration of the Speech of the United States Congress for 140 Years”, pointing out that the dependency relationship related to nouns and noun phrases has increased, while many other types of relationships have also experienced an increasing or decreasing trend.
Outstanding graduate representatives also made positive performance in the forum. Yang Airan of Nankai University, Cui Shuyang of Peking University, Luo Yushu of Nankai University and Han Yiran of Beijing Foreign Studies University introduced their research results respectively.
The discussion in the afternoon was divided into 19 panels. The members of each group made academic reports and exchanged academic ideas around their research fields, and the comment experts patiently and meticulously gave accurate opinions. The discussion atmosphere was harmonious. The students attending the meeting said that they were benefited a lot.
This forum received 688 papers from university students across the country. After two rounds of evaluation, 4 special prizes, 10 first prizes, 20 second prizes and 30 third prizes were finally awarded. Prof Li Min, Vice Dean of the College of Foreign Languages of Nankai University, announced the list of winners of excellent papers at the closing ceremony.
Hao Junjie, the president of the Graduate Association of the College of Foreign Languages, made a concluding statement on behalf of the organizing committee at the closing ceremony and said that the successful conclusion of the second Graduate Academic Forum of the College of Foreign Languages of Nankai University gave the credit to the support of the college leaders and enthusiastic participation of experts, scholars and students from both inside and outside the university. The academic report of teachers and students in this forum was rich in content and broad in vision, which provided a platform for academic exchange and discussion for excellent graduate students, and also encouraged the students who love academic research to continue to work and make progress in their research fields. It was a successful academic event. The organizing committee of the forum expected that the academic forum next year will be held in Tianjin as scheduled.
