From September 22 to September 25, 2023, “Symposium on Collaborative Development of French Educational and Teaching in Universities in the Chengdu Chongqing Economic Circle”, sponsored by the FLT Advisory Board under the Ministry of Education and co-hosted by School of French of Sichuan International Studies University (SISU) and School of Western European Languages of Chengdu College of SISU” was successfully held in Chengdu. In-depth discussions were held to promote the collaborative development of French majors in universities in the region, and valuable suggestions were made for the construction of French majors in the new era. Our teachers Cheng Lei and Zuo Tianmeng attended the symposium and In depth discussions were conducted to promote the collaborative development of French majors in universities in the region, and valuable suggestions were put forward for the construction of French majors in the new era. Our department’s teachers Cheng Lei and Zuo Tianmeng attended the meeting and delivered speeches on behalf of our school at the sub forum in the afternoon..

The opening ceremony of the symposium was moderated over by Prof. Yang Shaolin, Academic Dean of the School of French at SISU and Director of the Development Research Center for the World French speaking Region. At the opening ceremony, Yan Gongjun, Vice President of SISU, and Shen Guanglin, Vice President of SISU Chengdu College, elaborated on the significance and importance of the symposium and welcomed the guests. Yu Zhixiang, Secretary General of Chongqing Society of Higher Education, and Wang Xin, Chairman of the College Foreign Language Special Committee of Sichuan Higher Education Association, expressed their expectations and support for this symposium, emphasizing the great significance of the dual functional integration of cities and universities, and looking forward to valuable opinions from attending experts and scholars on the construction of the French major in the new era. Guillaume Delvallée, Consul General of the Consulate General of the Republic of France in Chengdu, and Ye Qing, Vice President of Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, also expressed their good wishes for the successful convening of this symposium. Prof. Cao Deming of Shanghai International Studies University, Prof. Fu Rong of Beijing Foreign Studies University, Prof. Wang Xiuli of Beijing Language and Culture University, and Prof. Wang Zhan of Huazhong Agricultural University delivered keynote speeches.

At the sub forum in the afternoon, speeches were made on the cultivation of French majors and the construction of the ability to understand contemporary China, the direction, path and method of regional and country studies in the field of French discipline in the context of new liberal arts, the ideology of the curriculum, the teaching of French in the context of modern information technology, the construction of first-class undergraduate specialties in French in the context of the “the Belt and Road” and the development of interdisciplinary and composite French talents in the context of the new liberal arts, etc. The leaders of French majors in various universities and numerous frontline teachers engaged in lively discussions.

Among them, Zuo Tianmeng, a teacher representative of our department, gave a speech on the theme of “French teaching under modern information technology”. At the closing ceremony of the symposium, Prof. Li Keyong, President of Chongqing Foreign Language and Foreign Affairs College, expressed his heartfelt thanks to all the guests and experts for their presence and valuable guidance, and hoped that the relevant scholars and teachers could fully utilize the results of the conference to make greater contributions. The symposium also decided to set up the French Major Committee for Universities in the Chengdu Chongqing Economic Circle, which will carry out its activities under the guidance of the Chongqing Higher Education Association and create an effective platform for the exchange and development of French language majors in Sichuan Chongqing universities.