Scholars from across China gathered at Zhejiang Gongshang University for the Eighth Annual Conference of the Special Committee on Foreign Language Interface Research, China Association for Comparative Studies of English and Chinese (CASEC) and its accompanying Academic Symposium, co-hosted by Sichuan International Studies University (SISU).

This year’s theme, “Mutual Learning Among Civilizations: Opportunities, Challenges, and Innovations in Foreign Language and Literature Studies,” explored how research in languages and cultures can advance cross-civilizational understanding. The three-day event featured an opening ceremony, keynote addresses, a “Young Scholars Face to Face”session, parallel forums, and a closing ceremony.

More than one hundred experts and scholars from nearly forty universities participated. Professor Dong Hongchuan, President of SISU and President of CASEC, delivered a keynote address titled “Serving National Strategies and Advancing Foreign Language Education.” He emphasized that foreign-language education extends far beyond language training—it is central to China’s openness, cultural exchange, and international cooperation.

Professor Hu Anjiang, Vice President of SISU and Chair of the Special Committee on Foreign Language Interface Research, noted in his opening remarks that in an era of deep cultural integration, foreign-language professionals stand at the forefront of global communication, where opportunities and challenges coexist. He urged scholars to embrace interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly with artificial-intelligence and digital-humanities research, as a path toward innovation and renewal.

Seventeen other leading scholars—including Professor Qu Wensheng of Zhejiang University and Professor Xiang Mingyou of the University of International Business and Economics—shared insights into emerging directions in foreign-language and cultural studies.

Organized by the School of Foreign Languages at Zhejiang Gongshang University and supported by the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press and other partners, the conference provided a vibrant platform for scholarly exchange and collaboration. Participants agreed that the innovative perspectives and research outcomes generated during the event will have a lasting impact on the theoretical development and practical advancement of foreign-language interface research in China and beyond.