Beijing Foreign Studies University hosted the Forum on Reimagining Foreign Language Curriculum and Teaching Systems in the Digital and AI Era on July 2, 2026, at Wenhua Hall on BFSU’s East Campus.
Co-organized by the School of English and International Studies at BFSU and the Foreign Language Teacher Education and Development Committee of the China Association for Comparative Studies of English and Chinese, the forum brought together scholars from across China to explore how artificial intelligence, large language models, knowledge graphs, and smart teaching platforms are reshaping language education.
In his opening remarks, Professor Sun Youzhong of BFSU, chair of the Ministry of Education’s Teaching Advisory Committee for Foreign Language and Literature Programs, placed the discussion within the broader context of China’s next five-year plan for education. He proposed the idea of “digital empowerment for critical thinking,” calling for new approaches that use digital and intelligent technologies to strengthen students’ analytical and reflective capacities.
The forum featured presentations from scholars at Shanghai International Studies University, Tsinghua University, China Agricultural University, South China Normal University, Hebei University, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing Institute of Technology, and BFSU. Speakers discussed topics including human-AI collaboration in foreign language education, the digital turn in world literature studies, knowledge-graph-based teaching, AI-assisted assessment, smart course design, and the integration of language learning with disciplinary knowledge.
Professor Yang Luxin of BFSU presented a framework for designing smart courses for English majors, linking curriculum design, classroom implementation, and faculty development. Her presentation offered both theoretical grounding and practical models for future innovation in English education.
By bringing together perspectives from the humanities, social sciences, engineering, teacher education, and language studies, the forum created a cross-disciplinary conversation on the future of foreign language teaching. Participants emphasized that AI should not simply be added to existing courses as a tool; rather, it should prompt deeper reflection on curriculum design, teaching methods, and the kinds of abilities students will need in a rapidly changing world.
The forum offered practical examples for universities seeking to develop smarter and more adaptive foreign language programs, while reaffirming the role of language education in cultivating graduates with strong intercultural communication skills and global engagement.
