On June 14, 2025, the Forum on Japanese Language Education and Japanese Studies in the Era of Digital Intelligence and the Development Forum of Japanese Language Discipline at Shanghai Jiao Tong University was successfully held at the Minhang Campus of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Sponsored by the School of Foreign Languages of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, organized by the Japanese Department, and co-organized by the Editorial office of Contemporary Foreign Language Studies, the forum focused on the mission, transformation and prospects of Japanese language education and Japanese studies in the context of globalization and digital intelligence, aiming to promote the innovative development and high-quality construction of the Japanese language discipline in China. 

 

Hu Weiwei, the deputy party secretary and vice president of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shang Biwu, the dean of the School of Foreign Languages, Zhu Yifan, the party secretary of the School of Foreign Languages, and other party leaders, as well as nearly twenty authoritative experts and scholars from universities across the country attended the meeting. 

 

The opening ceremony was presided over by Professor Shengyuan Wang, a tenured professor at the School of Foreign Languages of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. 

 

Hu Weiwei delivered a welcoming speech. On behalf of the SJTU, she expressed sincere gratitude to the experts and scholars present for their long-term concern and support for the development of the Japanese language discipline at the SJTU. She pointed out that in the face of new situations and new tasks, Shanghai Jiao Tong University will recognize its mission from the requirements and tasks of building a strong educational nation in the new era, actively cultivate outstanding talents who were proficient in languages, familiar with countries, and specialized in fields that the country urgently needed, and looked forward to the experts for suggestions. 

 

Shang Biwu delivered a welcoming speech on behalf of the SFL, introducing SFL's overall development layout and expressing the hope of further promoting the high-quality development of the Japanese language discipline at SJTU through this forum. 

 

 

The keynote speeches at the forum were divided into three thematic units. The first unit was chaired by Professor Liu Jianjun, Distinguished Professor at the School of Foreign Languages of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Focusing on "Challenges and Opportunities in the Context of Structural Adjustment of Disciplines", six professors conducted in-depth discussions. They analyzed the current situation and future opportunities of the Japanese language discipline from the perspectives of national policies, discipline positioning, and talent cultivation. 

The second unit was hosted by Jin Wenfeng, the director of the Japanese Department of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Wang Lin, the deputy director. With the themes of "National Demand and Global Vision for Japanese Language Talent Cultivation" and "Paths for the Development of Japanese Language Disciplines in Comprehensive Universities", the professors shared innovative ideas on how the Japanese major can serve national strategies and cultivate internationalized and compound talents based on their educational practices and research achievements. 

The third unit was hosted by Associate Professors Huang Jianxiang and Lin Zibo from the Japanese Department at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Focusing on "New Ideas and Paths for the Intelligent Transformation of the Japanese Language Discipline" and "Prospects and Methods for Country and Regional Studies in Foreign Language Disciplines", experts engaged in cutting-edge discussions on digital humanities, interdisciplinary integration, and the combination of AI and education. 

 

 

  

 

The afternoon roundtable forum was hosted by Li Siqi, a lecturer from the Japanese Department of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Jin Wenfeng, the director of the Japanese Department, reported on the development of the Japanese discipline at SJTU. She comprehensively reviewed the achievements and strategic directions of the discipline in recent years from aspects such as discipline construction, curriculum system, research achievements, and international cooperation. The experts present put forward many constructive suggestions. 

In the two seminars titled "Literary and Historical Studies" and "Linguistics and Country Studies", four teachers from the Japanese Department of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, namely Huang Jianxiang, Yu Yang, Lin Zibo and Li Siqi, engaged in in-depth discussions with the experts present, focusing on their respective research fields and related topics. 

 

In her closing speech, Zhu Yifan, the Party Secretary of the School of Foreign Languages, stated that this forum brought together top resources across the country, promoting academic exchanges and teachers' growth. It served as an important statement from the Japanese Department towards its future development. The Japanese Department will continue to adhere to its original aspiration of nurturing talents, delve deeply into discipline development, and create a new pattern of Japanese education with Shanghai Jiao Tong University's characteristics. 

This forum not only strengthened communication, collaboration and exchange among the Japanese language community across the country, but also demonstrated Shanghai Jiao Tong University's proactive efforts in promoting the intelligent transformation of Japanese language education and deepening research on specific countries.